South Africa set to give Tristan Stubbs a new role for WTC25

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South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs is set to make the No.3 spot in South Africa's Test batting line-up his own, according to coach Shukri Conrad.

Stubbs, just one Test match old, is already making his mark in white-ball cricket for the Proteas, but his red-ball numbers in domestic cricket are as impressive.

In 18 first-class games, Stubbs has 1205 runs with five centuries, the most recent of which was a mammoth 302*, compiled off a mere 372 balls.

He finished the CSA 4-Day Series Division 1 domestic season 2023-24 as the second-highest run-scorer with 562 runs at a staggering average of 80.28.

The extraordinary season, combined with his obvious talent, has seen Stubbs being backed at the No.3 spot, likely for the rest of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.

"I'm going to give him a good run," Conrad said ahead of the first Test against West Indies.

"I'd be surprised if we didn't back him throughout the rest of the cycle. I'm pretty confident Tristan is going to come good.

"Technique is obviously a big factor because you're going to be facing the new ball the bulk of the time. And he's quite an imposing character, a big, strong, strapping boy, and I quite like that.

"I like the fact that at the top of the order, they are quite imposing guys, guys that have got a good aura about them and strong body language."

Since 2020, South Africa have played nine different batters at the No.3 position, with Keegan Petersen the only one to make over 500 runs, which came at an average less than 30.

The last South African batter to make a men's Test century from No.3 is Theunis de Bruyn in 2018, over six years ago.

Historically, No.3 has been a tricky spot for South Africa with only four batters ever making more than 1000 runs for them in Test cricket.

One of them (Hashim Amla) has had considerable success for an extended period, with 25 of the last 27 Test hundreds for South Africa from No.3 coming off his bat.

With batting being a major concern for the Proteas through the last two ICC World Test Championships, a young Stubbs has been backed to bring stability to the middle-order.

"His psyche and his technique speak to someone who will do that job really well," Conrad said.

"Because you’re going to be facing the new ball the bulk of the time, I know Tristan ticks all of those boxes.

“But ultimately, the proof is going be in the tasting. But yeah, I’m going down this road, and I’m confident we begin to reap the rewards. We've got a good one for the future of South African cricket."

ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 Standings

South Africa have eight more Test matches in the ongoing WTC cycle to push for a top-two spot – two against West Indies (away), two against Bangladesh (away) and two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home.

The first Test against West Indies begins on 7 August in Trinidad.