Quinton de Kock has offered Australia’s selectors and blood-thirsty fans a painful reminder of how long it can take players to develop at Test level.
De Kock is well placed to finish the leading run-scorer of the current three-Test series, having lifted his tally to 252 with a knock of 104 on day three of the second Test.
The dashing keeper-batsman is in serious form. De Kock has now passed 50 in five consecutive Test knocks, while he scored 99 and 122 in tour games in Adelaide.
With the exception of a stumping chance on 72, there was barely a misplaced step from de Kock in Hobart on Monday.
He attacked sensibly and stylishly, patiently waiting for anything overpitched, too short or too wide and more often than not dispatching it the rope.
Comparisons with Adam Gilchrist will grow louder with every pressure-laden score of substance at the highest level.
For a long time they looked foolish. Big things were expected when de Kock made his Test debut against Australia at age 21 in 2014.
South Africa recorded a crushing victory in Port Elizabeth but de Kock contributed scores of seven and 34.
“He could not hit it off the square. We’d heard these great things about this young guy … I remember all the guys going ‘oh that was disappointing’,” ABC commentator and former Test opener Chris Rogers recalled.
“Now look at him. Your first Test, it overawes you.”
The left-hander fell victim to spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith in that match.
He was dropped for the series decider in Cape Town then floated in and out of South Arica’s Test XI until posting an unbeaten ton against England earlier this year.
Even a player of de Kock’s immense talent – reflected in a batting average of 43.84 from 69 ODIs – took time to work out Test cricket.
His maiden hundred didn’t come until his eight Test. Now in his 12th Test, de Kock will be a contender for player of the series.
De Kock’s story is not unique.
Australian batsmen Smith and Usman Khawaja have also beaten somewhat similar paths in recent years, only realising their potential after a couple of stints in the Test side.
It is a cautionary tale for those expecting Australia’s next generation to instantly save Smith from the current crisis he is dealing with.
It should also give Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and countless others hope.
Even recalled opener Joe Burns, whose average has dropped from 49.29 to 37.95 in the course of three Tests, should remain upbeat if he is tapped on the shoulder after scoring one run over two innings in the second Test.
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