Why Proteas coach Shukri Conrad picked Jason Smith for the World Cup: 'He's a proper batter'

Jason who? 

This was among the comments on social media when MI Cape Town allrounder Jason Smith was selected for the Proteas T20 World Cup squad.

Smith, 31, is by no means a nobody. In fact, he’s part of a select few that includes his T20 World Cup-bound teammates Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada and Corbin Bosch as the only South African cricketers to have won an ICC World Cup - the U19 version back in 2014.

He’s also played for the Proteas five times previously across white-ball formats and been on the first-class circuit since 2013 already. 

But his selection for the T20 World Cup, is still viewed in some quarters as “left field”, as it was posed to Proteas coach Shukri Conrad on Thursday. 

“Yeah, left field, I mean, I don't think left field is necessarily a bad field to come from sometimes, you know,” Conrad retorted.

“But I know Jason for a very long time. He spent a lot of time at the National Academy years ago, but he's also been a great performer for the SA ‘A’ side. And I think what people don't know is that when Tony went down with injury, Jason was meant to join us in India.

“But at the time, he was injured. So we couldn't get him out then. The few times that he represented South Africa in white ball cricket, under (former coach) Rob (Walter) he did brilliantly.”

Conrad also clarified the role Smith would perform at the T20 World Cup.

“I think he can do various roles for us. Yes, he can do the Donovan (Ferreira) type role. But he's also a proper batter, you know,” he said.

“So he could bat anywhere from three to six. And I think if there's clarity in the role that we give him, which there obviously will be, I think Jason could surprise a few people. Wonderful athlete.

And he's got a power game. And like I said, he's a proper batter. You only need to look at his numbers in first-class cricket for the SAA side.

“And a few times, he's represented South Africa in white ball cricket. So yeah, he could bat anywhere from, I think, pardon, he could bat anywhere from three to six to seven, depending on what the situation is and what the game demands at a particular time. So it gives us good variation if variation is required in the batting side of things, which I think there is a place for.”

Smith has shown signs of his potential during the Betway SA20 season with a 14-ball 41 in the competition opener at Newlands, while he also bashed 22 off seven balls in a rain-shortened game.

According to his MI Cape Town teammate Nicholas Pooran, Smith ‘hits the ball like a West Indian’, which gives an indication that Smith has the potential to hit a long ball.

The Proteas will be hoping he can replicate that form when they arrive in India next month.