Lungi Ngidi’s life changed dramatically when he was 22. He had just earned his first contracts with South Africa’s cricket team and the IPL when his father, Jerome, passed away. This loss came just a year into his international cricket career.
Ngidi’s journey is a true South African success story. He was born shortly after the end of apartheid to parents who worked as a caretaker and a housekeeper at his school. Thanks to a scholarship, he attended the prestigious Hilton College and became a professional cricketer.
In his first eight games for South Africa, Lungi Ngidi impressed everyone as a fast bowler, bringing immense joy to his parents. For the first time, they could travel by plane and stay in hotels to watch him play. Ngidi promised to support his family financially with his new earnings. After his father’s death, he took on the responsibility of head of the family sooner than expected.
“My dad’s passing made me grow up faster. I realized that cricket isn’t everything; life goes on,” Lungi Ngidi says from Trinidad, where South Africa is set to play the West Indies.
Despite being the youngest of four brothers, Ngidi was the highest earner. He had already bought his parents a house and took on more responsibility after his father’s death. In South Africa, this is known as “black tax,” where the first family members to earn well support their parents who couldn’t get high-paying jobs due to apartheid.
Lungi Ngidi doesn’t see this as a burden. “I’m in a position to support my family, and I’m happy to do it. They are my main priority, and cricket helps me with that,” he says. Over time, he has learned to enjoy cricket more, realizing that life is more than just the sport.
Over the past six years, Ngidi has faced injuries, missed tournaments, and been dropped from the national team. After his father’s death in 2018, he returned to the IPL and performed well, but injuries kept him out of the next season. Although he was named South Africa’s ODI and T20I cricketer of the year in 2020, he didn’t play in the IPL for two seasons after moving to the Delhi Capitals. This year, a back injury ruled him out again, following a period of poor form.
“When I was dropped, I felt angry and frustrated, but talking to the coach made it easier to move on,” Lungi Ngidi says. He understands now that the coach wanted him to be more attacking and take more wickets. While he can keep the run rate low, he also believes he can take wickets.
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Ngidi returned to Test cricket in January but only bowled six overs in a quick match. Despite taking 21 wickets in domestic T20s, he didn’t make the T20 World Cup squad, instead going as a reserve. He focused on helping the team prepare and is now expected to play in the upcoming Tests against the West Indies.
“Test cricket has always been my first love,” Ngidi says. As a senior player, he is eager to help the largely inexperienced squad. South Africa sees this tour as a chance for a fresh start after struggling in recent series.
At 28, Ngidi is the main provider for his family but now enjoys cricket more and stresses less. “I’m having more fun and not worrying as much. I’m more relaxed and hopefully more mature,” he says.
