Image source– Twitter/X
When one speaks about size, in the not-so-distant past, a sizeable crowd had turned up at Port Elizabeth now known as Gqeberha as South Africa overcame a resilient Sri Lankan outfit in the second Test to further their claims on the final of the World Test Championship.
This after they had shown high intent to overcome the same opponents in the first Test too at Durban which was rather scintillating as the home team won by a whopping 233 runs courtesy a stalwart who perhaps with his low centre of gravity has just been elevating his stature.
Who am I referring to?
Well, its non-other than the batting maestro and captain confident in Temba Bavuma who truth be told has reinvigorated his batting form in the last one year like few others have.
Having piled up 432 runs in 2024 with one more Test still to play before the year ends, his figures have only ascended upward at an average of 61 with four half centuries and one maximum to his name.
This after he was injured for the major part of the South African long format pursuits, having been part of only four Tests among the ten that the Proteas contested.
And this perhaps makes the achievement even more special with accomplishing these 400+ runs in just four Tests and soaring over the 50-run mark in each of his last four consecutive Test innings against the Lankan Lions.
Yes, Bavuma was instrumental with the bat in the Sri Lanka series mustering up 327 runs in four innings at an average north of 80, making him undoubtedly the MVP of this extravaganza including three half centuries and one maximum.
A feat truly worthy of every praise!
He was the pillar around whom the other Protea batters built their innings often laying the foundation in those crucial times for the big totals to consistently mount.
Speaking about being a pillar, this rock-solid approach also reflected in Temba’s captaincy as he made the rather incisiveand crucial decisions which saw bowlers like Marco Jansen and Dane Patterson bear fruit when South Africa needed them to come to the party in the Sri Lanka series.
And the records perhaps speak for themselves as Bavuma as captain is yet to lose a Test, having won six and drawn one in the seven he has contested as captain albeit in a buddingsample size.
With formidability at his core and the world at his feet as things stand, Temba has been tasked with another important challenge of taking the South African One Day outfit also forward as he locks horns with Pakistan in the inbound ODI series starting next week.
This after the Proteas have already conquered the Men in Green in the T20I series with a decisive victory last evening courtesy some Reeza Hendricks heroics.
One should remember under Temba’s tutelage South Africasoared to the semifinals of last year’s ODI World Cup and there is no reason why they can’t ascend to becoming numero uno in the Champions Trophy that dawns upon us in a matter of months.
So, as the Proteas hope to shine across formats, one can only hope that TB remains the central figure, fueling the belief that drives their success. When he performs at his best, it’s not just the team that thrives, but the entire nation soars with him.
