Proteas news: Number three for me – Keegan Petersen on his best position

New South Africa batting sensation Keegan Petersen has come out to clear the air about where he would like to bat for the Test side.

Still with only five Test matches to his name, the 28-year-old has often found himself facing a bright new cherry during his fledgling international career.

In those matches since his debut – two away to the West Indies and three at home to India – early wickets often fell, with openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram’s highest opening partnership the 47 they accumulated in the final innings of the second Test against Virat Kohli’s side.

“I chose to bat No 3,” Petersen said while adding that facing the new ball isn’t a problem.

“There is always the threat of opening the batting most times but I chose it and I will have to deal with it as it comes.

“People have said a lot about our opening batters but we all know they are world-class. Their records speak for themselves and they will come good eventually.”

Some players get an opportunity to represent their country early on in his career, but for Petersen that was not the case.

Aged like fine wine

In fact, he has played more than 100 First-Class matches before he got a Proteas look-in, something he believes helped him settle in international cricket quickly.

“I have been playing first-class cricket for more than 10 years,” he continued.

“It has taken me long to get to the Proteas but I am fortunate because over the years I have experienced different scenarios.

“I use my first-class experience as a tool to come up against all the challenges of international cricket where you constantly come up against world-class bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur of India.”

At this stage of his career, his average is a touch over 35, with a high score of 82, albeit in largely difficult conditions for batting.

Nevertheless, his scores of 72, 82 and 62 made him the only batsman to pass the 50-mark three times during the low-scoring series against the touring India side.

He will have a chance to add to the 320 international runs already to his name when the Proteas travel to New Zealand for two Tests later this month.

“It is going to be a new and different challenge, for me at least, and one I am really looking forward to,” he added.

“It will be my first time going to that part of the world and as a team we are going to have to assess conditions quickly when we get there and adjust accordingly to find the best way to go about things.”