JP Duminy could be a key player for South Africa at next year’s T20 World Cup in India.

Duminy has impressed in the first two T20Is against India, playing a big role in the victory of both games to help South Africa clinch the series with a game to play.

Most importantly, his contributions have been with the bat and not the ball, and the hope will now be that he can carry this form forward into the ODI and Test series on this tour.

After playing a match-winning innings of 68 not out in the first T20 Duminy followed that up with an unbeaten 30 in the second game to guide South Africa to victory.

What makes Duminy so special in this format is his ability to mix conventional stroke-play with big shots that can clear the boundary, making him perfectly suited to the N0 4 batting spot.

The left-hander is the second highest run-scorer (1 528) in internationals, behind only New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum (2 140).

He is now regarded as a vital part of the Proteas setup; a player who boasts a wealth of experience and one of the leaders in the team.

While his bowling contributions are important and beneficial, they are not vital. He should be regarded as a batsman first and foremost, and if the focus on his bowling has affected his batting, it’s a cause for concern.

He can do both in T20s but if he can’t perform the dual role consistently then I would rather have a very good batsman instead of a average batsman and a part-time bowler capable of filling a few overs.

Duminy’s form in India is encouraging, and if you add his IPL experience to that, it becomes clear that he can play a pivotal role at the World Cup.