Young seam bowler Gerald Coetzee in action for the Knights Young seam bowler Gerald Coetzee in action for the Knights. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
Gqeberha — Young speedster Gerald Coetzee has his sights set on making Test cricket his home, if and when he gets his debut in either of the two Test matches against the West Indies.
T20 cricket has taken the world by storm and become the most preferred format for the younger generation of cricketers and also of the fans, who love the entertainment factor.
Coetzee has naturally been one of the most-wanted youngsters by franchise teams on the T20 circuit because of his raw pace and fiercely-competitive character. Coetzee earned millions in the SA20 not so long ago.
Despite the lucrative nature of T20 cricket, Coetzee is still a cricket purist at heart and wants to prioritise Test cricket over other formats.
“Greatness is measured by Test cricket... because it’s the hardest format, which makes it the most rewarding,” said Coetzee.
“So, for me, Test cricket is a priority. It is where I want to excel the most because that’s where greatness is measured. T20 cricket is great fun and helps with the financial benefits, but I think the cricket purist in me just wants to prioritise Test cricket.”
Coetzee has awaited his turn after not playing a single Test in Australia, where he received his first Test call up in December. But the new management of the Test team has selected Coetzee ahead of Lungi Ngidi for the West Indies Test series, which makes it highly likely that Coetzee will get a run during the two-match Test series that gets under way on February 28.
“I’ve been waiting patiently for my chance. The bowling attack we have at the moment is world class, so I was just happy to be here and compete in the squad and to do a job for the team that was needed, even if it wasn’t for playing. I’m not too sad that I didn’t play but I understood what my job was in the team.” he added.
IOL Sport
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