Herschelle Gibbs believes Ryan Rickelton could go the same route as Devon Conway if he continues to be snubbed by the Proteas selectors.
Rickelton was the notable omission from the Test team that beat the West Indies by 87 runs in Centurion this week despite being bowled out for 116 in their second innings.
The 26-year-old averages 54.87 in first-class cricket and has scored 15 hundreds.
In three Domestic 4-Day Series matches this season, he has scored 365 runs at an average of 121.66, including three centuries. In his last knock, for the Lions against the Warriors at the Wanderers, he hit 125 off 112 balls (11 fours, seven sixes).
“Rickelton has been dominating domestic cricket for the last season or so. When is he going to decide that there is no longer a future for him here?” former Proteas batsman Gibbs told Rapport newspaper.
Gibbs believes Rickelton could follow his former Lions teammate Conway’s example and move abroad. Conway has played 14 Tests for his adopted nation, New Zealand, scoring 1,290 runs at an average of 51.60, including four centuries.
“It’s bizarre,” Gibbs added. “I would have included Rickelton as the seventh batsman.”
Former Proteas fast bowler Fanie de Villiers was also stunned by Rickelton’s omission.
“What are the selectors smoking? How many batsmen in world cricket have scored 15 centuries in 46 first-class matches like Ryan and boast a first-class average of 54.87 like him?” he said to Rapport.
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After the Centurion Test, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, who made two ducks on his Test captaincy debut, said Rickelton needed to be “ready” to take his opportunity when it came.
“Ryan has been in the runs. Sometimes those things happen. You don’t always get an opportunity when you’re doing well and sometimes you do when you’re perhaps not in the best form.
“With Ryan, we’re looking at all our experiences as players and he needs to keep his head down – as he’s doing – and keep doing the good work and make sure he’s mentally ready for when the opportunity does come.”
