Bavuma makes a statement to himself, his teammates and SA

Temba Bavuma enjoys taking time to reflect. 

He wishes it could be to look back at more success, but unfortunately in recent times it’s been to question his self-worth and whether he was still the right person to lead the Proteas.

He’d spent that time with himself and then the day before the series with England started he sought out Shukri Conrad, someone he knows, but who was only temporarily in charge of the South African limited overs team.

“It’s been  an emotional rollercoaster the past few months,” he said on Sunday night after one of his best performances in a Proteas shirt. 

Anyone who’d seen Bavuma at OR Tambo International Airport back in November, after he’d returned from the T20 World Cup, would have genuinely worried for his future at international level.

He was given three weeks off before the Test series in Australia, and there he started to find himself once more with the bat. It helped that, despite all the problems on that tour, he wasn’t captain.

Against the 50-over world champions at home, in a series with so much at stake, Bavuma couldn’t hide.

The series was squeezed in between a competition that was being celebrated the length and breadth of the country for breathing life into the sport, a competition he could not participate in. Bavuma was not picked up by a team in the SA20 auction. The Proteas had new coaches and were going to play their limited overs cricket in a new way. 

Already director of cricket Enoch Nkwe had mentioned Bavuma and Dean Elgar wouldn’t be the captains in a few years' time, with their futures to be discussed shortly. Hard conversations were going to be had, said Conrad.

But before that, he held a more sensitive chat with Bavuma on eve of the series.

“It was [about me] being vulnerable to the coach, telling him where I see myself and how I feel about everything,” Bavuma said.

“It helps that I have worked with Shukri before. He helped me to cut through all the nonsense that was happening in my head and really mentally make sure I was there for the series.

“He never really said much, it was just him giving me an ear and hearing me out. It was more about validating the feeling  I had.

“I think the biggest thing was getting my mind into the right state to actually play the game. 'Shuks' is not a therapist but what I enjoyed was the honesty and clarity he gave me in the chat.”

His self-reflection and the talk with Conrad made Bavuma feel liberated. He said before the series he had looked at England and their more aggressive and unfussy approach, and felt elements could work for the Proteas.  

“There is also a feeling that whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Sometimes you plan for certain things that don’t happen and for now it's about trying to give my all to the team and everything out there and what happens happens,” he said.

What happened on Sunday was a third ODI century, an innings packed with the best stroke play he’s produced in a Proteas shirt and an example to his teammates and the country of what he’s been talking about regarding a way forward for them to play in the limited overs format.

“The coaches asked me to be the person who leads all of that and I’ve tried to do that through my performances in these two ODIs.”

He admitted it has been difficult to ignore the criticism that came his way in the wake of the T20 World Cup, where his form was poor and it appeared the selectors were giving him too much time, while ignoring the in-form — at the time — Reeza Hendricks. 

“It has been a crazy past few months. Emotionally it can be draining. As much as you try to block out everything that is out there it does find its way to get to you. The biggest one is when it affects people around you, your family. That’s probably where it is quite tough.

“As a player I have my way of dealing with it, not that it doesn't affect me. I guess it’s just a part of the journey and where I am at the moment. I’m quite a resolute guy and whatever comes my way I try to take it in my stride and always try to put my best foot forward.”

He did that on Sunday and celebrated appropriately.

“It was a reminder to myself and to everyone that I am still here, and I still deserve to be where I am.”