Cape Town - When Sisanda Magala packed his bags for Johannesburg to leave Uitenhage it was a big deal.
The all-rounder had played his entire career at Eastern Province and the Warriors and was comfortable in his surroundings, especially enjoying his mother’s home-cooked meals.
But to further his career, and earn a better livelihood, he needed to leave Gqeberha for the “Big Smoke”. It was a daunting prospect for him, but somehow he has managed and in fact thrived at the Lions.
However, the next challenge that awaits Magala is far greater. And this is all due to his exceptional performances for the Lions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the Betway SA20 and the Proteas white-ball teams recently.
Magala, having only just returned from a hand injury, was back to his best again in Benoni on Friday evening against the Netherlands, claiming 3/37 - all crucial wickets too - to help set the Proteas on their path to a comfortable eight-wicket victory in the second ODI.
It is performances like these that has earned Magala a much-sought after contract with the Chennai Super Kings at the Indian Premier League. He will therefore be travelling almost 8 000km on Monday to his new team, and to an entirely different world to what he is accustomed to.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that he stated that “it's a long way from home” and how "nervous" he really is.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, though, believes the experience will be invaluable for Magala, especially with the ICC World Cup being held in India later this year.
"For our sake, as a team, we want him to learn and grow in India, to keep producing these performances. Come later in the year - and that's not to say he's guaranteed a spot in a World Cup squad - those lessons will help him put up those performances," said Bavuma, who also continued his hot-streak with an undefeated 90 against the Dutch in Benoni.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Mission to avoid the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in full swing for the Proteas
"It's a fantastic opportunity. He'll be in a different environment and experience different challenges. It's all to improve his craft because he's still quite new and fresh to international level, so he needs all the experience he can get.
"I've been to India and it can be a tough place to tour. You want to use your time wisely. If you get an opportunity to play, go out and back your game. Enjoy it. If you don't get game-time, still ensure that you do your work and come back fitter and stronger. He does get homesick quite quickly, but if he wants to be a regular international, he'll have to get over that."
Although Bavuma was loathe to ink in Magala for the World Cup - in fact the Proteas are not yet assured of automatic qualification and need a further 10 points from a victory over the Dutch on Sunday to place them in a better position of avoiding the qualifiers - the skipper certainly believed that the 32-year-old is becoming an integral part of the Proteas’ white-ball teams’ attack.
"Sisanda is positioning himself as one of the match-winners in this team, specifically with the ball," Bavuma said. "He picked up those wickets at vital moments that gave us momentum and we ran with it.
"There's probably also a lot of relief from a lot of people and himself around the opportunities that he's now being afforded. There's no more outside noise, it's now just about matters related to the cricket he's playing on the field.
"He's thriving. A lot of things have happened for him and a lot more will in the coming months."
Magala will certainly do himself, and especially the Proteas, a major favour if he can reproduce that famous “Magala Magic” one more time on Sunday in the Pink ODI at the Wanderers to give his team the best possible chance of heading to India later this year.
@ZaahierAdams