Assured Bavuma Hails Satisfying Victory
Fresh off a historic 2-0 Test series victory in India, Protea captain Temba Bavuma admitted the achievement ranks among the most satisfying moments of his career.
Coming to India, he said, is “always a tough prospect” – one made sweeter by the hardships of previous tours.
Bavuma led the World Test Champions to a 408-run victory in the second Test match in Guwahati for their first series win on Indian soil since 2000 – and only their second ever.
Hailing from Langa in Cape Town, Bavuma, who was part of the squad when South Africa lost 3-0 in India in both 2015 and 2019, appeared to be in a state of disbelief with what the team had just achieved.
“I would’ve never thought 2-0 would be the result of the series,” Bavuma reflected. “But it’s an incredible achievement for these players. We’re creating history and some memorable moments.”
One of the prominent features of the series was South Africa’s dominant spin performance. Man of the series Simon Harmer took 17 wickets across the two Tests, and Bavuma did not hold back his praise.
“I’m very impressed and very confident in their ability,” he said. “Simon has come in and heavily boosted our resources from a spin point of view.”
He acknowledged that the side had long leaned on Keshav Maharaj, who probably wasn’t at his best in this series, but highlighted how effectively the attack compensated.
“The way Simon came in and did what he had to do – supported by Aiden Markram and Muthusamy was key. Our bowling has always been our strength, and the guys stepped up even though we didn’t have our main bowler, Kagiso (Rabada), which is incredible.”
According to Bavuma, this depth and adaptability are not just victories for the present but a sign of South African cricket’s evolution that will stand them in good stead irrespective of where they play.
“It’s great for the team to grow and be successful in all types of conditions.”
With an incredible record of 11 Test victories in 12 Tests as captain, Bavuma now holds the record for the most Test wins as captain before a loss. Asked what drives him as a captain, Bavuma described his journey as “a process of discovery.”
“I am a lot more assured of myself as a person and as a captain regarding what I am trying to do out there,” he said.
He credited the leadership core within the squad – Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, and even Kagiso Rabada – who had to withdraw from this series – as vital sounding boards.
Over time, Bavuma has learned to separate the roles of captain and batter, understanding that players “follow what they see rather than what you tell them to do.” His goal, therefore, is to lead through meaningful contributions with the bat.
He believes South Africa’s success stems not from individual heroics but collective buy-in.
“From a batting point of view, we don’t have guys getting big hundreds, but we have five or six guys willing to contribute, and that helped us get to a formidable score. As a team, we’re in a good space. Winning helps, but it’s the way we’ve gone about winning our games.”
As the World Test Champions savoured a resounding victory that few expected, Bavuma emphasised the importance of both reflection and humility.
“We’ll enjoy the moment, reflect, and then look for ways to get better,” he said.
This 2-0 triumph is a moment 25 years in the making – one that signals South African Test cricket is not only alive but thriving. On reflection, with new heroes coming to the fore, a reinforced spin unit, and a captain growing confidently into his role, the Proteas’ future appears to rest in very capable hands.
