Cricket fans, this is a story worth watching: Keshav Maharaj, the veteran left-arm spinner from South Africa, may have missed out on the T20 series, but he is not in the dust yet. With almost 300 wickets in all formats, Maharaj is proof that experience and skill do not age; they grow. Maharaj is now 35 years old and is not just resting on his past glories, but is looking to work his way back to the top as South Africa’s first-choice spinner across ODIs, Tests, and T20s. Let’s look at why Maharaj is a name to watch this season.
Experience That Speaks Volumes
When it comes to South Africa’s spin legends, Maharaj is up there with the best. With 299 wickets and counting, Maharaj is South Africa’s leading spinner in men’s international formats – more than Imran Tahir, more than Nicky Boje. In addition to stats, there is a wealth of experience in being able to look at a batsman, in knowing how to hold your nerve when the pressure comes on, and in the adaptability across formats.
Maharaj’s story demonstrates that spin is not just about flight and turn, but about cricketing intelligence, which can take young spinners years to develop. Even with a light strain to his groin from the heavy series against Zimbabwe, he is ready to now pick up the ODIs – his fitness and mindset are unquestionable.
The Fight to Stay Relevant in T20s
Missing out on the T20 squad was painful, but Maharaj isn’t letting it derail his ambitions. He’s now viewing the upcoming BKT Tyres ODI series in Australia as a chance to make a statement. He knows there’s always a T20 World Cup on the horizon, with the one in 2026 quickly approaching, and he’s not going to concede any format. Maharaj is aware of what it means to be versatile in 2023, when most players are shoehorned into one format or another.
The fact that he can play all three formats—with their separate demands as cricketers—is what might keep him in the plans of the Proteas for other big tournaments. For Maharaj, it’s about showing the coaches that he still can change games, regardless of the form it takes.
Eyes on the Future
The ODI series in Australia is not a World Cup rehearsal, but Maharaj has a different take – there is an opportunity for improvement in every game. South Africa hosts an ODI World Cup in 2027, and it will be their first World Cup in 24 years; therefore Maharaj is potentially a legacy builder – how nice is it to see him enjoying a rank at 2 instead of it being passionless, devoid of stats and records – he enjoys the activity of bowling and that is what makes him a match-winner.
Commitment is a great reminder that it is not only fitness that makes you sustainable in a cricket career, but your mindset, your ability to adapt, and your desire to remain relevant to your newly formed, unrecognizable team, whether it be the ODI or Test team.
With a packed schedule in line, including the T20 World Cup not far away, the spin wizard has a job to do: Show that age and omission cannot define who he is. So cricket fans, please keep your eye on Maharaj because this is one career that is not going to spin out quietly. Will he get back to T20 again and continue to dominate ODIs and Tests? Only time will tell! But it will be a fun ride.