“I might have to do the job" - Tristan Stubbs opens up on becoming Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain after auction twist

Before the commencement of the SA20 Season 4, there was only one new captain in the city, and he was none other than Tristan Stubbs. The young cricketer, full of surprise and joy, shared the story how the unanticipated result of the auction directed him to the captaincy of Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Stubbs mentioned that initially the plan was to retain Aiden Markram, the former skipper. However, when the franchise could not get Markram in the auction, the head coach Adrian Birrell decided to go with Stubbs.

Tristan Stubbs’ promotion as Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain is based on local roots and leadership confidence

“Before the auction, Adi said to me that if we don’t get Aiden then I might have to do the job. Later when he confirmed it, that is when it really struck me,” Stubbs said. “That’s quite awesome. In school, I was the captain for a short time, but now I get the chance to lead my region.”

Though there were already famous names in the squad such as Quinton de Kock and Jonny Bairstow, Birrell was quite certain about why he opted for Stubbs as the captain. “He’s a St George’s Park man through and through,” said Birrell. “He’ll lead with passion and fight. I wanted a local captain, and Tristan fits that perfectly.”

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The Eastern Cape is where SEC has got its roots and so they have brought in the local players like Matthew Breetzke, Anrich Nortje, and Lutho Sipamla, besides Marco Jansen. The new coach has already pushed the local players to be the first ones setting the right atmosphere on and off the field and to help the international players understand the South African cricket culture.

The captaincy gives Stubbs a new and fresh focus as he takes charge of Sunrisers Eastern Cape

The captaincy is also another milestone in the fast advancement of Stubbs. He was purchased for a record amount in the first season of SA20 and he calls that moment “winning the lottery,” not in terms of money, but in terms of the freedom it gave him to make cricket his priority over the constant moving around from one league to another.

Stubbs is still full of confidence despite having a mixed 2025. He will be the No.5 batsman for SEC, which is his favorite position, and at the same time, he will rely on the quality bowling attack which is headed by Nortje and Jansen. When it comes to his style of leadership, Stubbs has a very simple approach: “You must be your own person and discover your own path.” For Sunrisers Eastern Cape that path now starts with a young, local captain who is prepared to develop in the role.