Bavuma plays the role of a giant in the Proteas Test team

On day one of the first Test between South Africa and India in Kolkata, Indian spearhead bowler Jasprit Bumrah was caught on the stump mic saying, “bauna bhi hai” (“he’s a dwarf too” in Hindi). The comment was aimed at Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma and was made to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

This was in reference to Bumrah striking Bavuma on the pad. After the on-field umpire had decided it was not out on appeal, the bowler and keeper discussed the possibility of having the decision reviewed.

Acknowledging a batter’s height is an important factor in deciding whether they could be out leg before wicket or not. But Bumrah’s utterance caused a stir because of the derogatory language he used to describe the South African captain.

Bavuma survived the appeal in the 13th over of the match, but ultimately fell to the wrist spin of Kuldeep Yadav for three off 11 deliveries shortly after.

In South Africa’s second innings, Bavuma stood undefeated on 55 after helping the team to 153 all out – a competitive score on a viciously turning Eden Gardens surface. At the conclusion of South Africa’s 30-run victory, their first in India in 15 years, Bumrah had his arm wrapped around the Proteas skipper.

The sequence is a microcosm of Bavuma’s career. He has faced scrutiny few sportspeople in South Africa could relate to and yet, despite it all, he’s chosen to allow his bat to do the talking for him. More recently, his leadership has spoken on behalf of words unstated as well.

Path to the top

Before the second and final Test between India and South Africa in Guwahati, which started on Saturday, 22 November, the diminutive batter had led the national red-ball side in 11 matches. The Proteas have won 10 of them and drawn one.

No captain in Test history has reached 10 victories in the format in fewer matches. This record includes a seven-match winning streak in which the Proteas reached the World Test Championship before claiming the mace against Australia at Lord’s in England in June to extend it to eight.

It is not only Bavuma’s “quiet” leadership, as head coach Shukri Conrad puts it, that has been excellent during this period. The red leather ball has seemed to be zoning exclusively into the middle of his bat in recent times.

During his reign as captain of the Test side since the start of 2023, Bavuma has averaged 57 with a total of 969 runs scored from 19 innings. He has struck three centuries and six fifties in this period, which has been marked by an incredibly consistent performance.

Before his appointment, Bavuma’s batting average was 34.53 with only one century and 20 half-centuries. He was dropped from the Test squad in January 2020 and fought his way back through high-scoring performances at domestic level on more than one occasion.

A few years later, his career average is edging towards 40 and he is among the five highest-ranked Test batters in the world, according to the International Cricket Council rankings. Only Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith are above him in the rankings, while the next best South African is opening batter Aiden Markram at 16th.

Bavuma is riding the crest of his batting wave with no signs of slowing down.

Paving the way

Throughout his career, Bavuma has faced scrutiny not too unfamiliar to anyone walking an unpaved road. He was the first black batter to score a Test century for the country in 2016, against England at Newlands.

There had been other world-class black cricketers representing South Africa, such as Makhaya Ntini, who opened the floodgates for other black fast bowlers to steam through. The likes of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi came running in to bowl on grass trodden flat by the “Mdingi Express”.

But until Bavuma made his Test debut in 2014, he had been caught in long lawns that had not been crossed before him as a black batter.

The sustained, undue criticism he has faced hasn’t hardened his attitude, though, and unsurprisingly neither did Bumrah’s words. “Thankfully, he has a heart like a giant,” Conrad said when asked about the incident.

Bavuma is aware that every success he achieves in his career makes it that much easier for those to follow.

“It’s only when you’ve done something or won a trophy that everything [you’ve achieved] is seen in the light,” he said in an interview on the podcast Marawa Sports Worldwide with Robert Marawa.

“I believe that lessons in my journey will make it a lot easier for other guys coming through.

“Someone, fortunately or unfortunately, had to deal with it. Now, if there’s a black African leader... that goes on to lead a Proteas team, we’re not going to look at it indifferently.

“If there’s a black batter that’s been selected, people will give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s actually there on skill. He’s not there for optics or to fill in the team. But someone had to deal with all of that. I didn’t ask for it, but I’m glad that I’m still standing.”

Leading from the front

Although Bavuma’s record as captain is unblemished, the Proteas have lost four Test matches since he took over the role when he had been ruled out through injury.

First, there was a seven-wicket loss to India in January 2024, followed a month later by the two-match series loss to New Zealand, where most of the Test side was unavailable due to SA20 commitments. More recently there was the 93-run loss to Pakistan in Lahore in January this year.

The defeat to New Zealand was ascribed to the lack of South Africa’s top-tier talent being available to tour, but Bavuma’s absence in the other matches coinciding with defeats was no fluke.

The Proteas pulled a remarkable eight-wicket victory out of the bag against Pakistan after their initial loss. According to Conrad, the most remarkable thing about it was that the team was able to do it “without their best player”.

Not their best batter, fielder or leader, their best player, period.

This speaks to the magnitude of Bavuma’s presence in the team, especially with the willow. From being the most criticised player in the squad, he is now the glue that holds it together.

And although Bavuma is short in stature, he has been a giant both with the bat and as the leader of the national Test side. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.