ZA Cricket

Twelve months ago, Tristan Stubbs was the name on every South African cricket fan’s lips. He was the great hope, the rare modern player seemingly capable of bridging formats, and the kind of talent CSA could build their batting line-up around for the next decade. In 2024, Stubbs looked every bit the future of South African cricket. He averaged 36 in T20 internationals with match-winning cameos, struck a commanding 48.60 in ODIs — including his maiden hundred — and, most impressively, averaged 35.7 in Test cricket with two centuries. This came after the most dramatic of beginnings, dismissed twice in a single day on debut, only to bounce back and cement his spot. His performances earned him retention in the IPL for a massive $1.1 million (around R19 million), a clear sign of his global reputation.

Tristan Stubbs form – 2024 vs 2025

Fast forward to 2025, and the picture is starkly different. Stubbs has crossed fifty just once in all formats this year. In Tests, he has managed a meagre average of 3.33, with just 15 across his entire career and a solitary half-century. His T20 numbers are better but still underwhelming at 31 — respectable on paper, but a far cry from the explosiveness expected of him. In total, he has gone 35 innings this year with just a single score above fifty, a startling drop-off for a player once considered South Africa’s most dynamic young batter.

The decline raises uncomfortable questions. Has Stubbs been overexposed too soon? In 2024, his rapid rise saw him juggling roles across formats, travelling non-stop between the national team, IPL, and domestic competitions. That workload may have blunted his edge. There’s also the issue of role clarity. In ODIs, he has oscillated between finishing duties and batting higher up the order, while in Tests he has been asked to adapt to situations he’s still learning to navigate.

Confidence appears to be another factor. Stubbs’ dismissals this year have often been soft — mistimed lofted drives, indecisive prods outside off, and a general lack of the fearless strokeplay that defined his breakthrough season. Against England recently, he was bowled for a duck, leaving Adil Rashid on a hat-trick and underlining his current struggles.

South Africa’s management now faces a challenge. Stubbs is too talented to discard, but his form is a concern heading into a packed calendar. The Proteas need to decide whether to back him through this rough patch or give him a break to rediscover the game that once made him indispensable. For a player once heralded as the future, the present has suddenly become very complicated.