Dane Piedt says he doesn’t “give a f**k what people say about me anymore”.
The 34-year-old spinner was part of a severely-depleted Proteas Test squad that suffered a 2-0 series defeat in New Zealand last season.
He featured in the second Test in Hamilton, taking 5-89 and 3-93 as South Africa’s so-called “C team” made a full-strength Black Caps side work hard for a seven-wicket win.
It was Piedt’s 10th Test cap, and his first since 2019.
Piedt, who lives with his wife and two-year-old son in Morrisville, North Carolina, told the Sunday Times he was looking forward to being part of “main” squad for the two-Test series in the West Indies, which starts on 7 August in Trinidad and Tobago.
He also explained his new outlook on the game in frank language.
“Basically, I don’t give a f**k what people say about me any more,” he said.
“Being off social media also helped. In the past, as a young cricketer, you feed into what those keyboard warriors said about you and how you should bowl.
“However, having a young family gave me perspective on what life is about, and trying to show my young boy that his dad actually achieved something in my life.
“Having [the family] in New Zealand, doing what I did … it all ties in with maturity, that creates the perspective, and not caring what people say about me. It’s given me a lot of joy in the phase of life I’m in.”
Proteas Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c, Lions), David Bedingham (WP), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Nandre Burger (WP), Gerald Coetzee (Titans), Tony de Zorzi (WP), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Dane Paterson (WP), Dane Piedt (Knights), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Kyle Verreynne (WP).
