SA vs ENG | 'I'm sure Ben Stokes is lining me up already,' says South African ODI captain Keshav Maharaj

South Africa are gearing up for a clash against hosts England in the upcoming three-match ODI series, which starts tomorrow (July 19). Stand-in skipper Keshav Maharaj will look to continue his side's momentum from the India series, which the Proteas won at home.

Regular skipper Temba Bavuma misses out due to an injury, which he suffered during the T20I series in India. 

Maharaj ahead of the series spoke about how he has always enjoyed a leadership role.

Speaking to IOL Sport, he said: "'I've loved it from a young age. I think it helps my game, it gives me a different perspective, but also gives me a different thought process and also calms me down. I’ve always wanted to captain my country at some stage, and I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have that opportunity now."

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The match-up versus Ben Stokes

With so much focus on match-ups in cricket nowadays, Maharaj opened up about how he feels about the prospect of being targeted by England batters, especially Ben Stokes.

"I'm sure he is based on the way he’s been playing in county cricket hitting the ball to all parts of the ground (laughs). But I think that’s where all the video analysis and all those things come into play. Hopefully, we can combat that as a team with good tactics," Maharaj added.

Learnings from Tabraiz Shamsi

The 32-year-old also spoke about his relationship with fellow spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, with whom he has a long association.

"We're fortunate that we played together from a young age at the Dolphins. We have a good relationship, a good understanding. Obviously, he is a more attacking spinner and I am more a defensive spinner, and we try to complement each other. He’s done exceptionally well the last three years, being the No 1 T20 spinner in the world. I’m very pleased for him and hopefully, we can grow that relationship even further over time," the Durban-born said.

The first ODI will be played at Chester-le-Street, followed by the second and third in Manchester and Leeds, respectively.

South Africa upon landing on English shores, played two warm-ups, winning one and losing one.

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