Proteas opening batsman Hashim Amla believes fasting has a positive effect on his game and improves his conditioning.
Compared to Muslims based in South Africa, Amla will be fasting five hours longer in the English summer. But the 36-year-old seems to thrive during the month of Ramadan.
Indeed, it was during the month of Ramadan, that he scored 311 not out in a Test against England at the oval in 2012 – which today still stands as the highest total by a South African batsman.
And Amla believes it is the ‘best month of the year’ for him personally.
“It really helps with my conditioning,” Amla said, after South Africa’s rain-affected, final warm-up match against West Indies in Bristol.
“Fasting is something I always look forward to. It’s the best month of the year. I see it as a great mental exercise and also as a great spiritual exercise.”
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis said if Amla is to make the starting lineup, he would need to deliver in the warm-up matches which he has done so, scoring two half-centuries in succession.
“Scoring runs is always important,” said Amla. “Whether I make the playing XI or not is not up to me. I do what I can do, and what happens after that is for the benefit of the team.
“It’s something you don’t try and force. It happens naturally. It’s not something I consciously think about, but I think it happens anyway.
“There’s a lot of experience in the playing XI and the coaching staff, so that osmosis of information and knowledge is going to happen anyway.”
Amla will play two matches during Ramadan against England and Bangladesh, with Eid looking likely to be on the day the Proteas play India at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
