Johannesburg — From wanting to retire last year November to winning an Indian Premier League medal with Chennai Super Kings, Sisanda Magala has an inspirational story to tell and its only the beginning.
The 2022/23 domestic season opener was staged in Potchefstroom where all Division One teams gathered to contest for the Cricket South Africa T20 Challenge.
Amongst the teams was the Joburg-based Lions, a highly successful team, and as per usual, the expectations were high for the Johannesburg-based team.
One of the reasons for the high expectations was the fact that the team had superstars in their squad list, and one of them was fast bowler Sisanda Magala.
Magala had been a regular performer in the domestic circuit, but at times that skill display didn't carry over to the Proteas when he got his chances.
Articles were written, and social media went into a frenzy ridiculing the Uitenhage-born Magala, ignoring all the other qualities the fast bowler brings to any team he represents.
“It’s really weird because I think last year November I wanted to retire because I was tired of it all,” Magala told IOL Sport in an exclusive interview.
“I felt I was always fighting, defending myself in a way. I promise you I wanted to retire last year because I didn’t enjoy cricket it felt like a chore.
“I always tell my family, my friends and everyone in my close circle that the day I don’t enjoy playing this sport is the day I will retire and walk away from it.” He added.
The outside noise was infiltrating inside of Magala’s head, as it would to anyone that owns a smartphone or some tech device where all these negative news and comments are spread.
Magala emphasised how former Lions coach Wandile Gwavu spoke sense into him at that point in time.
The words from Gwavu got through to Magala, and it makes sense why it was him that got through to Magala seeing that the two knew each other from their Eastern Province Cricket days.
“I remember Wakes (Gwavu) coming to me and having a conversation with him and he got me into the right headspace,” said Magala.
“At that time I was seriously thinking about that (retirement) but the SA20 was right around the corner so I thought that perhaps it would be a breath of fresh air and that it would revitalize my love for the game.
"And when it started it really went well for me and the team because we ended up winning that tournament.”
Magala went back to work and got himself over the line fitness-wise and went from not playing the T20 Challenge to being one of the most expensive buys in the inaugural SA20 auction.
Magala played an incredibly vital role in the Sunrisers Eastern Cape winning the SA20 and that really set him up for higher honours. Not long after, Magala was back in the Proteas colours for the England 50-over series in Bloemfontein and Kimberly.
A couple of months later, on the back of yet another impressive skill display against England, the West Indies and the Dutch, Magala was roped in by the most successful IPL franchise, the Chennai Super Kings.
“I remember saying that one of my dreams was to play in the IPL,” said Magala. “I got picked for the England series and before those matches I was so nervous because I was listening to the outside noise.
"I was really angry at myself for believing the outside noise and letting it affect my preparation and my performances.
“Because of my support structure, I told myself that whatever people say about me it wouldn’t take anything away from who I am and what I bring to the table.
“After that I went back to domestic cricket and then the West Indies series came about and that series really had me feeling good. It also reignited me in terms of knowing and feeling that there was a lot more left for me to do in my career.
“Before you know it, I was in the IPL. I’ll never forget that experience. In terms of wanting to retire in November to playing in the IPL four months later, it changed a lot for me.” He added.
Coming from the Eastern Cape where so many talented sports people just never get to fulfil their maximum potential because of a host of different reasons, Magala shared a few words to the up and coming youngsters in the Eastern Cape.
“Don’t get discouraged no matter how difficult the road is,” said Magala.
“That’s the one thing with life, we don’t know how close we are from achieving our goals. We always think that we are so far away from reaching our goals but the fact of the matter is that it only takes one ball, one phone call to change your situation.”
IOL Sport