Piedt’s new perspective on the game gives him joy

Dane Piedt says he “doesn’t care what people say about me anymore”.

The 34-year-old spinner was part of the much-depleted Proteas Test team that lost 2-0 in the series in New Zealand last season.

He played in the second Test at Hamilton, where he took 5-89 and 3-93 as South Africa’s so-called “C team” made the full-strength Black Caps team work hard for a seven-wicket victory.

It was Piedt’s tenth Test international and his first since 2019.

Piedt, who lives in Morrisville, North Carolina, with his wife and 2-year-old son, told the Sunday Times He was looking forward to being part of the “main” squad for the two-Test series in the West Indies, which begins on August 7 in Trinidad and Tobago.

He also candidly explained his new outlook on the game.

“I really don’t give a damn what people say about me anymore,” he said.

“It also helped that I was off social media. Back in the day, as a young cricketer, you were playing on what those keyboard warriors were saying about you and how you should bowl.

“But having a young family has given me more insight into what life is all about. Plus, I wanted to show my son that his father really accomplished something in my life.

“Having (the family) in New Zealand, doing what I did… it’s all about maturity, it creates perspective, and not caring what people say about me. It’s given me a lot of joy in the stage of life I’m in.”

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Proteas Test Team: Temba Bavuma (c, Lions), David Bedingham (WP), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Nandre Burger (WP), Gerald Coetzee (Titans), Tony de Zorzi (WP), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans) , Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Dane Paterson (WP), Dane Piedt (Knights), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Kyle Verreynne (WP).