Bavuma seeks personal improvement even as Proteas triumph

Temba Bavuma’s first experience as Proteas Test captain left him with mixed feelings. 

His side won, fairly comfortably as it turned out, against the West Indies, thanks to Aiden Markram’s batting and excellent fast bowling from a prodigious set of quicks led by Kagiso Rabada. 

On the flip side there was the rest of the batting, including Bavuma’s own historical entry into the record books, as just the fourth player to make “a pair” in their first Test as captain. 

“When you’re a leader, it's important to stick to your leadership bargain, but what can’t be forgotten is that as a batter or bowler your currency remains runs or wickets,” said Bavuma.

“You have to look after those two departments and fix things as and when it’s required.” 

As is too often the case with Bavuma, any error or lack of output with the bat can cause a meltdown across the land.

Bavuma pleaded for perspective. 

“People need to understand we’re also human because you’re not always going to get wickets and runs. You’re like other players, but it’s the pressure and responsibility you have to live with.

“I’ll prepare better for the second Test and do things the way I do and hope things will get better.”

Bavuma met Brian Lara before the match, with the West Indies legend offering encouragement and a reminder of the broader social context around Bavuma’s elevation to the captaincy of South Africa.

“I had to pinch myself,” he said about chatting to Lara, who is working with the West Indies team as a “performance mentor”.

“He came to me and said ‘big up, for the position you have' and he wishes me well,” said Bavuma. 

Rabada said there was no discernible difference between Bavuma and former captain Dean Elgar, with the attack leader saying the change was seamless.

“The most  important aspect as far as Temba is concerned is familiarity. He’s been captain in the white ball formats so we are familiar with his style.” 

“He has a good feel for the game, he adds huge input, there are no disagreements with his tactics, he is willing to be open minded and listens to the bowlers and what they like. Dean still plays a pivotal role when it comes to leadership. He is our most experienced leader.”

Bavuma and Elgar were often in animated discussion about field placements and tactics with Bavuma stating he valued the former skipper’s insight.

“For me, Dean’s a huge player, not just in what he does with the bat, but mentally, he’s an example of what South African cricket is about — that hardness, the guy who is always wanting to prove a point.”

In adapting to the new brand Bavuma and head coach Shukri Conrad have talked about, Elgar, usually circumspect, played more freely than he has in a long while.

“He has his challenges, that he is dealing with, but it’s great to see him go out and answer to those challenges,” said Bavuma. 

“Also how we want to go about our batting; it's all well and good to talk about it in batting meetings, but when a senior player like him, who carries so much on his shoulders, plays like that, gets 70-odd, people might criticise and say he didn’t get a big one, but in the context of the game he put us in a more than strong enough position to win.”

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