AB impressed by rising star Jordan Hermann: ‘I didn’t even know about him’

Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Jordan Hermann

• Former Proteas star batter AB de Villiers has been massively impressed by Jordan Hermann’s batting abilities.
• Hermann, who plays for the Warriors, was picked up by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape as a wild card.
• Hermann has already displayed his appetite for big runs in domestic cricket.

Former Proteas star batter AB de Villiers isn’t the type to be starstruck, but he is gushing over the ability of young Sunrisers Eastern Cape batting tyro Jordan Hermann.

Hermann, the 21-year-old Hoerskool Waterkloof product, who is already making a name for himself with the Warriors in domestic cricket, was picked up as a wild card by the Sunrisers.

In his four knocks for the Sunrisers, Hermann has scored 4, 59, 3, and 43, but he’s also produced some big scores in domestically.

READ | Bavuma on SA20 snub: I’m a person who moves on with things

Last December, he made 150 for the Warriors, albeit in a losing cause, in a One-Day Cup game against the Paarl Rocks in Gqeberha.

He’s also made 432 runs at an average of 86.40 in the Four-Day series, with 187* of those runs coming in a seven-wicket win against the Paarl Rocks in Paarl in November last year, where he anchored a chase of 370.

De Villiers, who excelled in franchise T20 cricket without having the same returns in the same format at international level, said that of the youngsters in the SA20, it’s Hermann who has impressed him the most.

“At the top of my head, among the batters is Jordan Hermann. I didn’t even know about him before the tournament, to be honest,” De Villiers said.

“I heard his name once, and then I watched him bat, and I was really impressed.”

De Villiers, who hasn’t stated any coaching intentions since officially announcing his retirement from all forms of the game in November 2021, said he was keen to work with the likes of Hermann.

STAT ATTACK | Recalling red-hot Faf for Proteas would immediately relieve T20 headache

De Villiers made his Test debut against England in 2004 and, aside from sabbaticals and other absences, was never dropped from the Test team.

“I would love to work with these batters. I really have a lot of passion in regards to that. You have to evolve as a player,” said the former Proteas captain.

“If you stagnate, you will end up not enjoying the game. I think there need to be constant check-ups.

“I think that’s what kept me fresh. I always wanted to raise the bar every single season until the very end.”

Sunrisers Eastern Cape take on Durban’s Super Giants at Kingsmead next Friday at 17:30.