Keshav Maharaj celebrates his 30th birthday on February 07, 2020 (Friday). Maharaj, who made his international debut in 2016, has so far represented South Africa in 30 Test matches and 4 One-Day internationals. Maharaj was born in the Natal Province of Durban in South Africa into a family of former cricketers. His father Athmanand Maharaj played province cricket for Natal during the apartheid era in South Africa. Reports claim that Maharaj senior had a promising career which was destroyed by the sporting ban in the early 90s. Maharaj, however, fulfilled his father’s dreams and came up through the ranks to represent South Africa in international cricket. Happy Birthday Graeme Smith: 5 Fabulous Knocks by South Africa's Youngest Test Captain.

The Maharaj family is believed to have roots in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh and the family ancestors resided in India until Keshav Maharaj’s great grandfather moved to South Africa to work as a labourer. The family had close ties with many Indian cricketers, like Kiran More Pravin Amre and Sachin Tendulkar, owing to their past Indian heritage. More first met Keshav when the latter was a three-year-old child and upon observing his hands, More prophesied that Keshav will go on to become a spinner. Maharaj, however, started his cricket journey as a left-arm seam bowler before turning to spin.

  • Keshav Maharaj was born to Athmanand Maharaj and Kanchan Mala on February 07, 1990, in the Natal Province of Durban, South Africa

  • Maharaj was born into a family of cricketers and has Indian roots with his ancestors said to have resided in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh

  • Keshav Maharaj was 3-year-old when Kiran More, former Indian wicket-keeper and national selector, prophesied that Maharaj will become a spinner

  • He initially started as a left-arm seam bowler but later changed into a spin bowler

  • Keshav Maharaj is the first spin specialist to make his Test debut at Perth Stadium in Australia

  • Maharaj is only the second left-arm spinner after Rangana Herath to take 9 wickets in a single Test innings

  • His figures of 9/124 are the second-best ever figures recorded by a South African cricketer in a Test innings

  • Keshav Maharaj also became 7th South African spinner to claim a five-wicket haul in Test matches when he did so against New Zealand in 2017

  • Keshav Maharaj's figures of 9/124 are also the best ever bowling figures ever recorded in a Test innings by a visiting bowler in Sri Lanka

  • He also holds the record for best figures by a South African cricketer in Asia

Maharaj was a standout performer in junior cricket but being slight overweight went against him on most occasions. He was even omitted from the 2008 U19 World Cup team which prompted him to work harder and eventually ear a contract with the Dolphins. Maharaj had no looking back since then and came up through the ranks in South Africa domestic cricket before making his South Africa international debut in 2016.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2020 09:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).