He is the son of veteran cricketer Makhaya Ntini and following in his father's footsteps. Masimphuthando ?Thando' Ntini (23) is a professional cricketer, he played for the SA Invitational Emerging Team against West Indies. He played for Border under 13 and Dolphins. Besides that, he is the owner of the LPS International clothing brand.
FINDING HIMSELF
Thando says he chose cricket and not any other sport. "I used to play almost every sport in school, rugby, soccer, cricket and athletics. As I got older, every year I cut down on a sport. When I got to Grade 8, I broke my shin playing rugby on the weekend," he remembers. His parents asked him to choose one sport. Although he has achieved a lot, as the son of a veteran cricketer, Thando says he is no where near where he was hoping to be in his career. "I kind of lost myself when I moved to Durban, got into some bad habits. I made myself too accessible to the wrong people," he admits.
He says he found himself partying two to four times a week and not being professional. "I learnt the hard way. It started to affect my cricket in various ways. I low key lost myself and interest in the game." He then agreed with his dad to go and train in Mumbai, India. "I went to India, did some soul searching and trained. It's the biggest cricketing Industry in the world. It's isolated from the modern-day stuff we are used to. I was there for six weeks," he says.
A proud Makhaya Ntini after his son's debut match
THE PRICE OF FAME
Having a world-renowned cricketer as a father has come with its rewards and challenges. When his dad retired, Thando was 11 years old. He was not really aware of how famous and loved his father was. "I was just really frustrated for being stopped at dinner or walking at the mall. My mom and I would always walk in front of him or behind him, so we don't seem like we are with him," he says. "It got really weird and frustrating. As I got older, I disassociated myself. I didn't like people telling me he is my dad and people acknowledging me for who I am."
Thando says when he joined high school cricket, people said he was only there because of his father's connections. "It becomes hectic. Even though, I would do well, I never got the recognition. I constantly had to prove myself."
