A wealth of experience coupled with undisputed tactical nous make Imran Tahir the ideal mentor for the next generation of Proteas spinners, writes Craig Stirton.

In the run up to Tahir’s ODI swansong against Australia, the 107-ODI veteran expressed his desire to give back to his adopted nation by becoming a coach. The thought of the bearded wonder helping to ensure that South Africa’s list of world-class spinners does not begin and end with Tahir himself is indeed an exciting one.

For whatever reason – be it the nature of South African pitches or otherwise –  world-class attacking spinners have been in short supply at national level. Though Paul Adams’ career began with a bang when as a 19-year-old he announced himself on the Test stage with figures of 6-55 against India in Kanpur, he played just 44 Tests and 29 ODIs in the ensuing decade.

After making his ODI debut in early 2011, Tahir answered the prayers of fans the nation-over. Over the next eight years the Pakistan-born leggie would bamboozle many a middle and lower-order and become the Proteas’ talisman. In the early years of Tahir’s career, it was often noted that he struggled to string six good balls together – often bowling at least one boundary ball per over.

As we know, however, Tahir has evolved into Mr Reliable for any team he represents. Often introduced at a time where batsmen are looking to accelerate, Tahir mastered the art of containment by varying his length and having a few different deliveries at his disposal with his now-famous googly his most lethal weapon. Though Tahir is by no means a mystery spinner, his 4.65 economy-rate in ODIs show that he’s not easily picked off.

Tahir had a knack for nabbing wickets at crucial junctures too. Often employed as a second-change bowler, Tahir’s ability to starve the batsmen of runs through his variations meant that many batsmen lost their wickets trying to force the issue as the game progressed. Such tactics ensured that Tahir was a threat in both the One-Day and T20 formats evident in his having been the No 1 T20 bowler in the world.

To play at an elite level into one’s 40s takes some doing. Yet Tahir finished this year’s IPL as the leading wicket-taker with 26 scalps. Not to mention that with 11 World Cup wickets, Tahir was second only to Chris Morris in the wickets category.

With talented youngsters like Bjorn Fortuin coming through the system, who better to nurture their talent than a man who knows what it takes to become the best in the world?

Though he’ll continue to ply his trade in the T20 format, Cricket South Africa would do well to secure the services of Tahir on a full-time or consultancy basis.

If his wicket-taking celebrations are anything to go by, Tahir is sure to bring a lot of energy and passion to the role if called upon.

Photo: CSA/Twitter