David Bedingham has certainly paid his dues in first-class cricket, and that was certainly demonstrated as he made his Test debut for the Proteas at the age of 29 at the end of last year.
Since his debut against India in Centurion in the Boxing Day Test, Bedingham has already scored two half centuries and one ton. In his six Tests to date, Bedingham is already averaging 40. For comparison, both Temba Bavuma and Jacques Kallis needed seven games before they scored their first Test century.
It’s perhaps due to the fact that Bedingham has played over 100 first-class matches and his experience has shown as he made the step-up to international level.
In fact, in three seasons in the County Championship the middle order batsman has blazed a trail with over 3000 runs including 13 centuries.
Bedingham was seen as something of a prodigy during his junior cricket days, but he battled to achieve the same level of performances when he began his senior career.
"Playing against people my own age was a lot easier, but when you go to the franchise system you play against smarter guys. I was probably putting too much pressure on myself as well, just thinking that I really want to make it now," Bedingham told SportsBoom.com.
"I then went to Matties and started having a better all-round life," said Bedingham. "I started studying, having friends and it wasn't all about cricket. I think that definitely helped.”
At 22, Bedingham began to find his feet at senior level.
But that was when disaster struck, as he was involved in a serious car accident that prevented Bedingham playing cricket for an entire year.
"The accident happened, I was out for a year and straight after that year things just started happening. I started scoring a lot more runs, started putting less pressure on myself and things just kicked off," he said.
"I had a good season with Boland and got called to a net session with Western Province and Ashwell Prince was there and I had a decent net session. In the next three weeks, I was signed for Western Province.”
While many would have been left wondering what might have been had they not been involved in what was a career-threatening incident, Bedingham was more philosophical.
"All the hardships, if you can get through them, it makes you a stronger person, and if you're a stronger person you'll be a stronger cricketer," he said.
"I am of the opinion that everything happens for a reason and if it's meant to happen it will happen.”
The Proteas take on hosts Bangladesh in the first Test, of the two match series, on Monday in Mirpur. With regular skipper Bavuma ruled out of the first match through injury, even greater responsibility will rest on the shoulders of Bedingham.
And it’s a responsibility he will welcome.
