Jean-Paul Duminy

JP Duminy Biography

The elegant South African all-rounder was born in Cape Town on 14th April 1984. JP Duminy is a left handed batsmen, best known for his ability to play shots all over the ground and his drives are a treat for the eyes.

His flawless fielding and an occasional wicket with his right-arm offbreak makes him an important asset to his team.

Background

Nicknamed JP, he began his professional career at the age of 17 in 2001, playing for Western Province in first class cricket. He averaged a brilliant 72 during this but shot into limelight when he showed immense potential in the South Africa’s Under-19 tour of England in 2003.

Debut

Duminy made his debut in the ODIs in 2004 against Sri Lanka, but failed to make his mark in the team. With two ducks in five innings, he proved to be inconsistent and was kept out of the team for the next two years.

He made a brief comeback with a stint against Zimbabwe in 2006, scoring a quick 60. However, this was not enough to secure a spot in the national squad for the 2007 ICC World Cup.

Rise to glory

Duminy shot into prominence with his Test debut against Australia during the 2008-09 tour, scoring an unbeaten 50 which helped his team chase down the massive target of 415.

With a composed 166 in the very next match in Melbourne, he assured a vital Test series win for his country on foreign soil.

The road was all the way up for Duminy for the next few years, as he became an integral part of the ODI side as well. His remarkable athleticism in the field, serene batting style and occasional wicket with the ball secured him a steady place in the South African side.

Low Points

His form run ended in 2010, when he was called back from the Test team as a result of four single digit scores.

However, he continued to perform in the limited overs format and was a part of the 2011 World Cup squad. He tore his achilles tendon after a comeback century in a Test in 2012 against New Zealand that caused him to stay on the bench for the next seven months.

Although he shone in the limited overs format, he continued to struggle in Test cricket due to injuries and wavering form in the years that followed.

Club Career

He was bagged for $950,000 by Mumbai Indians in the 2009 edition of the Indian Premier League, a time when Duminy was at the prime of his game. He met the expectations of the T20 franchise, averaging higher than Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.

He was a part of Deccan Chargers in 2011-2012 and a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013. He was bought by Delhi daredevils in 2014 and has been playing for them ever since.

He continues to perform well in the shortest format of the game and stats show that his average is close to 40 in 77 matches. Apart from IPL, Duminy plays for Cape Cobras in South Africa’s domestic T20 competition.

Records

JP Duminy holds the record of being the only South African player to take a hatrick in a World Cup. He achieved this feat against Sri Lanka in the 2015 World Cup

Retirement

Duminy retired from Test cricket at age of 33 in 2017 after being dropped for a Test against Bangladesh.

He continues to play in the shorter formats of the game and would be hoping to carry his team to a World Cup win in 2019, a feat South Africa is yet to achieve.