How Kieron Pollard Mentored George Linde to Become a Global T20 Star

Reflecting on Linde's journey from a quiet, uncertain youngster to a seasoned global T20 professional, Adams-who worked closely with him from his Western Cape Academy days through to the Cape Cobras setup-said the signs were always there, even if confidence wasn't.

"From the outset, we all saw a resemblance to (former Proteas spinner) Claude Henderson," Adams told SA20. "He was in the Academy with me, and when I got the Cobras' role, we wanted to play another spinner, but one who was always contributing with the bat.

"That sort of always kept him more in the team than his bowling, although his bowling has always been steady. He's a good package, especially in one-day and T20 cricket where he's sort of buttered his bread now."

"He was always someone that you felt suffered from (a lack of) self-confidence; he never quite backed himself," Adams recalls.

"He was very quiet and quite respectful, but he had to get to that competitive stage to get out of his shell. Once he could really get over that and start believing in his ability, it really switched his game up."

The turning point arrived during the Cobras' triumphant 2014/15 domestic T20 campaign, when Linde shared the dressing room with T20 heavyweights like Sunil Narine and Pollard.

"A big change in him came when we started giving him the T20 role, and he started playing with Pollard," Adams said. "Polly took him under his wing as a 'finisher' down the order. Learning from those times batting with him played a big role in George getting belief in himself and learning how to win games - whether with the bat, the ball, or in the field."

Today, at 34, Linde stands as a complete all-rounder, having represented South Africa 43 times and built a reputation across global T20 leagues, including a recent Indian Premier League debut for Lucknow Super Giants.

Adams stressed that Linde's rise has been anything but overnight. "He's not someone who just popped up," he said. "He [toiled] around playing semi-pro cricket, three-day cricket, four-day cricket.

"I've always been a big George Linde fan, especially because of the 'package' he brings. He's one of the sweetest strikers of the ball, and his fielding ability is massive.

"From what I saw back then, already when he had a great Ram Slam, it really showed his ability and hinted to us that this guy can play for South Africa."

Linde's IPL debut-featuring a brisk 10-ball cameo against Gujarat Titans-has further underlined his value as a utility cricketer in modern T20 cricket. "He's done it at the international level, and people don't just take it lightly to sign someone to the IPL," Adams said.

"They feel that on those wickets, he can offer a lot of value as an all-round hitter who can also offer a bit of spin in games. I've seen him play in The Hundred and put in performances there. At the moment, George is travelling all over the world, popping in and out of tournaments, and he's probably really enjoying his cricket. It's been great actually, just seeing him grow and play the way he does," he added.

- IANS