Smashing turnaround — how Ryan Rickelton went from fringe player to batting star on the rise

Ryan Rickelton has been progressing through the ranks to the highest levels of South African cricket.Photo: SA20/Sportzpics/Gallo Images

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

2 Feb 2025

From being on the chopping block to being one of the first names on the team sheet, the all-format South African cricketer has managed to turn things around over the past 12 months.

The past year has been transformative for Ryan Rickelton. He has gone from the fringes of the national side to slowly cementing his place across formats.

Rickelton’s star started rising in the second season of the Betway SA20 in 2024, when he became the first batter to break the 500-run mark in an SA20 season. Astonishingly, he accomplished it in only 10 innings because his side, MI Cape Town, finished at the bottom of the standings and failed to make the playoffs, despite his efforts.

Rickelton looks slightly unorthodox at the crease with his low crouch as he sets up in his stance, often playing with his bat neither vertical or horizontal, but somewhere in between, and rarely finishing with a flourish after the stroke, rather breaking his wrists after contact.

But it’s a technique that’s worked for him across formats and led to him already leaping into second place on MI’s scoring charts despite only playing half his side’s matches – having missed out early through injury and then a bout of Covid.

“Last year, during the SA20, the majority of South Africans took note of him because he batted so well in the competition,” Hashim Amla, batting coach of MI Cape Town, as well as the Lions, where Rickelton plays his domestic cricket, said.

“Since then, he’s just got better and better. He’s an extremely hard worker, very fit and very determined.

“He has the qualities of someone who wants to score runs and that’s the most important thing.”

This season, MI Cape Town have relied less on only a few players to succeed, and the whole team have put excellent performances together to win, even when Rickelton has been unavailable.

‘Second home’

Cape Town – and Newlands Cricket Ground in particular – has been a happy hunting ground for Rickelton, who calls it a “second home”. He averages more than 60 at the venue, across formats.

He also struck a superb career-best 259 against Pakistan in the New Year’s Test at the picturesque ground.

“It is one of the best places and grounds in the world to play cricket and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to represent the city and its people,” Rickelton said.

“MI Cape Town as well as Newlands will always have a very special place in my heart, as they have been a very key part in my journey to the highest level.

“The reception I received in the New Year’s Test after my double 100 was deafening and a feeling that I will always remember.”

Before the Test, Rickelton’s name was on the chopping block, with the injured Wiaan Mulder returning to contention for selection. But opener Tony de Zorzi was ruled out of the Newlands Test because of injury and sat out instead.

Ryan Rickelton has been progressing through the ranks to the highest levels of South African cricket. (Photo: SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

That meant Rickelton opened the innings in Test cricket for the first time and he made it count, recording South Africa’s first double century in nine years.

“I’ve always felt I can be an all-format player,” he said. “It’s not the easiest thing to do and it’s still an evolving thing for me.

“I’m learning now that different formats can require different techniques and different mentalities as well.

“I’m trying to obviously be consistent in the way I want to play. It is really hard to be a three-format player nowadays, but if you look at the guys that are doing well, like your Travis Heads and your [Rishabh] Pants, they play pretty much the same way in all three formats.”

Finding his feet

Despite lighting it up in the SA20, Rickelton has taken a while to find his feet at international level. His Test average was in the mid-20s before his double century.

Even though his form in the SA20 has been sparkling, surprisingly he has only registered one half-century in 13 knocks, averaging a smidge above 20.

After six one-day international innings, he only averages 31.33, with only one half-century in the format as well. He is also in South Africa’s squad for the Champions Trophy tournament, which starts this month.

But given the solid foundation he has built through 10 years of grafting at domestic level, he is beginning to show his promise at the highest level of the sport.

“It’s been wonderful to see Ryan’s progression through the ranks,” Amla said. “Everybody who had watched him play domestically knew he was a consistently high-performing [batter], averaging 50-plus in first-class cricket and in limited overs being very successful.

“For batters it usually happens around 27-29, something clicks. To see that happen with him, certainly in the Test arena with his 250, [is wonderful].”

In Rickelton’s 28th year, something clearly clicked for him. In his 29th he will be looking to kick on from it. At some point he will be looking to kick on from the nervous nineties in the SA20 as well.

Over the past two seasons Rickelton has reached the nineties three times, with a career-high 98 against Joburg Super Kings in 2024. He also has scores of 89 and 87.

“It would obviously be nice to get a 100, but while individual milestones are good, that is not why I play the game,” he said. “I want to contribute in a meaningful way to the team’s success and play the role that has been assigned to me.”

That role has been to play aggressively upfront. Rickelton’s highest individual score came when he faced half the number of deliveries.

“A ‘W’ next to the team name matters a lot more to me than a 100 next to my name,” he added. “Sooner or later, I’m sure it is something that I would tick off, but it’s not a priority.” DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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‘Second home’

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