The Journey of Sune Luus – From Leg Spinner to Off-Spin All-Rounder. Cricket, like many sports, demands both physical skill and mental fortitude. It is a game of evolution, where players must adapt to changing circumstances and refine their abilities continuously. Sune Luus, South Africa’s versatile cricketer, has exemplified this evolution throughout her career. Her journey from a promising legspinner to a specialist batter and finally to a newly minted offspinner highlights the challenges and triumphs she has faced. Through it all, she has maintained her passion for the game and her commitment to her team.
In this article, we explore the transformation of Sune Luus, focusing on her shift in roles, the mental struggles she faced, and the significant moments in her career. We also delve into how these experiences have shaped her into a cricketing role model, particularly in women’s cricket, and how they have contributed to South Africa’s cricket legacy.
The (Re)Making of Sune Luus
Sune Luus wasn’t always the cricketer we see today. In fact, her transformation is a testament to perseverance and the pursuit of excellence. Her journey truly began to change during the South Africa women’s cricket team’s multi-format tour of England in 2022. During this period, Luus, a prolific legspinner, slipped away from the bowling scorecards in a subtle and quiet manner, a shift many did not immediately notice.
While the sudden retirement of South Africa’s renowned opener Lizelle Lee caught public attention, Luus’ own retreat from bowling went largely unnoticed until the team’s subsequent T20I engagements. For Luus, the gradual retreat was a result of an internal struggle. Her once-prominent legspin became a source of frustration as she battled with confidence and technique.
“Legspin is very much a confidence game, and once you lose that confidence, it’s very hard to get it back,” Luus revealed in an interview with Cricbuzz. She admitted that the joy she once found in bowling had diminished. Ultimately, Luus made the difficult decision to put legspin on hold and focus on the aspects of the game that still brought her joy—batting and fielding.
The Slow Fade
Falling out of love with any aspect of the game is rarely sudden. It is a gradual process, influenced by numerous factors, and for Luus, her decline as a legspinner started in the 2018 T20 World Cup. During this period, her talent with the bat earned her a promotion to the South African middle-order as a spin-hitter. This role was replicated in the 50-over format and eventually became the norm across all formats.
As time went on, Luus took on additional responsibilities, including stand-in captaincy for Dane van Niekerk, who was dealing with a series of injuries. However, her bowling workload steadily decreased. From the 2022 tour of England to the 2023 World Cup, Luus bowled only six overs in ten games, with just one wicket to her name. Frequent technical adjustments to her bowling action contributed to a complete loss of confidence.
“I went through several coaches who tried to change my action, and in doing so, I lost what made my legspin special,” Luus said. This period of struggle significantly impacted her self-confidence. The harder she tried to regain her form, the more difficult it became, leading to a mental block around bowling.
For the sake of her mental well-being and longevity in the game, Luus made the tough decision to step back from legspin. She realized that to truly enjoy cricket again, she needed to focus on what made her happy—batting and fielding. “Mental health is such a big part of a sportsperson’s life, and you need to look after yourself,” she added.
Embracing a New Role
Luus’ shift away from legspin did not mean she had nothing left to offer. On the contrary, she found new freedom in her batting responsibilities. In a transitioning South African middle-order, Luus became known for her ability to counter spin bowling. Her move up the batting order gave her a sense of liberation and joy.
“I’ve always wanted to bat up the order. I was never happy batting at No. 7, 8, or 9,” she revealed. As opportunities to bat higher up presented themselves, Luus seized them. She worked hard to secure her place as a top-order batter, especially in ODIs, where she continues to bat at No. 4.
Despite facing ups and downs, Luus’ love for batting remained strong. Even when things didn’t go well, she found solace in the challenge of going out to bat. Her passion for the game, particularly batting, has remained a constant throughout her career.
The Challenges of Captaincy
In addition to her evolving role as a player, Luus has had to navigate the complexities of leadership. Taking on the full-time captaincy ahead of the 2023 World Cup, Luus faced the dual challenge of leading a team while dealing with her own struggles on the field. Despite relinquishing the captaincy after the World Cup due to reported dissatisfaction with management, Luus delivered impressive performances with the bat.
Her ability to lead under pressure has been tested repeatedly. During a home series against New Zealand in Benoni, Luus made a memorable contribution with 81 runs in two completed games at a strike rate of 153.26. However, these highs were tempered by lower scores before and after the series.
Leadership is not just about the on-field performance but also about inspiring and guiding the team through difficult periods. Luus’ leadership style, characterized by calmness and resilience, has endeared her to both her teammates and fans. Even when faced with criticism and uncertainty, she has shown the ability to rise above challenges.
The Reinvention: Becoming an Offspinner
Just as her position in the team seemed to be in question, Luus embarked on a new chapter in her cricketing journey—becoming an offspinner. In a multi-format assignment in India, she rolled her arm over again, not as a legspinner but as an offspinner. Despite getting hit around the park by a rampaging Smriti Mandhana, Luus’ offspin journey had begun.
This unexpected shift in her bowling style came after discussions with Dillon du Preez, South Africa’s new head coach. Luus humorously recounted how she began practicing offspin in the nets for fun, never imagining it would be taken seriously. However, after some encouragement from the coaching staff, Luus committed to the switch.
“I knew I didn’t want to come back as a legspinner, but I thought I could help the team as an offspinner,” she said. With former South African wrist-spinner Paul Adams onboard as the High-Performance bowling coach, Luus began refining her new craft. She focused on learning the intricacies of offspin, including body positions, lines, and lengths.
Luus drew inspiration from her compatriot Chloe Tryon, who transitioned from a left-arm seamer to a left-arm spinner, as well as Suzie Bates, the former White Ferns captain who made a similar switch. The reinvention of Luus as an offspinner added a new dimension to her game and brought balance to the South African team.
A Work in Progress
Luus’ offspin may still be a work in progress, but it has already shown promise. During a World Cup preparatory series in Pakistan, Luus returned to the playing XI for all three T20Is and was named Player of the Series, primarily for her batting, but also for her impressive offspin performance in the decider.
“It’s still a work in progress, but I’m enjoying learning offspin and how I can be better at it,” Luus said. Her ability to adapt and evolve has not only benefited her personally but has also provided South Africa with a valuable option for different playing conditions.
The journey from a legspinning allrounder to a specialist batter and now to an offspinning allrounder demonstrates Luus’ versatility and determination to continue growing as a player. With a World Cup on the horizon, South Africa and Luus will be relying on her newfound skills and experience to lead the team to success.
The Impact of Leadership
Despite stepping down from the captaincy after the World Cup, Luus’ legacy as a leader remains intact. Her tenure as captain was marked by both highs and lows, but her influence on the team and her ability to inspire young cricketers have left a lasting impression.
Under her leadership, South Africa reached a World Cup final, a historic achievement that cemented her place in the annals of South African cricket. “I think we’ve inspired a lot of young kids, boys and girls, to play cricket,” Luus said.
Her leadership has always been characterized by calmness, even in the face of adversity. Whether it was leading a team through a difficult World Cup campaign or dealing with personal challenges on the field, Luus has always maintained her composure. Her leadership style has been a source of inspiration, not just for her teammates but for the broader cricketing community as well.
Conclusion
Sune Luus’ journey in cricket is a story of evolution, resilience, and leadership. From her early days as a promising legspinner to her rise as a specialist batter and her recent reinvention as an offspinner, Luus has consistently demonstrated her ability to adapt and overcome challenges. Her commitment to the game, coupled with her calm and inspiring leadership, has made her a role model for young cricketers worldwide.
