Even as the southpaw has struggled to get a foothold in the Proteas' Test line-up - despite a memorable debut in the Perth Test match in December 2008 when he chipped in with an unbeaten half-century in their successful chase of a 414-run target - the 28-year-old has been a permanent fixture in the national T20 and ODI team over the past four years.
Following are excerpts from an interview:
How frustrating is the experience of playing in a team that has been struggling for two seasons now?
It's very disappointing to take five defeats at the start of the tournament. It's not that we've been playing lousy cricket, just that our batting and bowling aren't clicking in the same match. Such things happen in sport, and as professionals we have to find ways to lift ourselves.
You've made a name for yourself as a finisher. Do you at times wish you got to bat higher up the order?
Given a choice, yes I would like to get a bit more time out in the middle, but that's not my call. I was almost forced into that situation and I guess became good at it... That tag has stuck.
Can you explain how were you 'forced' into that situation?
The South African top order is very settled and stable... It's not easy to force your way into the top-four, so I would get to bat at No 5 or 6 with not many overs to play. I had to press the accelerator quickly, something which didn't come naturally to me. But I realised I had to take my opportunities and adapted my game to suit the team's needs.
Is your 'T20 and ODI specialist' tag hampering your Test career? You've played just 12 Test matches since your debut three-and-a-half years ago...
I won't say so. There are so many good players in there, it's difficult to get in. I was lucky to play the last Test against New Zealand (March 2012) because Kallis was injured.
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