Hurt several times, but did not voice,
There was hope in every wound, just don’t talk.
Now the story has been completed, decorated on the Taj head,
The dream was fulfilled, which he had not thought.

These lines fit on the South African cricket team, which created history at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London a few days ago. On this ground, under the captaincy of Temba Bavuma, the South African team fulfilled the dream by becoming a Test champion, which he and his fans have been waiting for years. This victory in the final of the third cycle (2023-25) of the World Test Championship (WTC) against Australia has given new expectations to South African cricket.

South African captain Temba Bavuma was the architect of this historic victory. When Bavuma took over the Test captaincy, no one would have imagined that he would get such a result. Now the fate of the team has shone under his captaincy. South Africa earlier also reached the semi -finals or finals of the ICC tournament, but won the only title win in 1998, when it won the Wils International Cup. The Wils International Cup later came to know as the ICC Champions Trophy. Now after 27 years, he has won the title in the ICC event for the second time.

The journey from the streets of Langa to Lord’s lamps to Lord’s lanes has not been easy for 35 -year -old Temba Bavuma. By the way, Bavuma dreamed of playing in Lord’s at the age of 10. Talent in Bavuma was since childhood, when he got sports scholarship at the age of 11. Bavuma had neither length nor strength, but his game was based on patience and technology. When Bavuma enrolled in St. Davids Meristics College in Johannesburg, his skill improved significantly. Meanwhile, Bavuma was also associated with Sveto Cricket Club, where coach Jiophary Toyana guided.

Temba Bavuma’s hard work paid off and at the age of 18, he made his first class cricket debut for Gauteng. Then in the 2010-11 season, he joined Lions franchise. Bavuma’s backfoot technology was quite strong, due to which he scored an average of more than 45 in the second season. Then in 2013-14 he was made the vice-captain of Lions. On the basis of his brilliant performance in domestic cricket, he became part of the South Africa-A team and then in late 2014 he was selected in the Test team of South Africa.

Temba Bavuma’s Test debut was on 26 December 2014 against the West Indies in Gakbarha, where he was able to score just 10 runs. If seen, in the initial years, Bavuma could not perform anything special in international cricket. Despite this, he was made the captain of South Africa’s T20 and ODI team in March 2021. After the team’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2022, Bavuma gave up the format captaincy. However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) continued to trust Bavuma and he was given the command of the Test team in the beginning of 2023 instead of Dean Elgar.

When Temba Bavuma was appointed the Test captain of South Africa, the questions arose whether he is worthy of it. He was given the tag of Kota Player. His body shaming has been happening. Let us know that according to the policy launched in the year 2016, the South African cricket team will have to include at least six black (black) players in their playing-11, of which at least two of them should be black African.

This rule applies as an average of a season. That is, it is not necessary to happen in every match, but this should be average in the entire season. For example, the South African team which landed in the WTC final, Temba Bavuma, Lungi Angidi and Kagiso Rabada were Black African players. In the playing-11, Keshav Maharaj was also another black player, who is of Indian origin. That is, only four players in the playing-11 were black, but it is possible that in the entire WTC cycle it has been an average of 6 or above.

The role of Aiden Markram in South Africa’s title win. Equally important contribution was to Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Engidi and Temba Bavuma. South Africa, which has faced a period of apartheid for years, has found a new hero in the form of Bavuma. His grandmother gave the name of Temba to the South African captain. Temba means ‘hope’ in Julu language. When his name is expected to be expected, then where would he follow the necklace.

Something similar was seen in the WTC final. Temba Bavuma’s hamstring was drawn during the run to the South African team. Due to this, they were seen groaning and lame. The team’s head coach Shukri Konrad feared that Bavuma’s injury could increase further, in such a situation he wanted to call the captain back, but Bavuma continued to play despite the pain. Bavuma and Aiden Markram had a partnership of 147 runs for the third wicket, which distanced the match from Australia.

Before becoming a Test captain, Bavuma’s batting average was 34.53 in 54 matches, but after handling the captaincy, he did not change the team’s unique, his batting was further enhanced. Bavuma’s batting average in Test cricket as captain has been 56.93 in 10 matches. The South African team has been invincible in Test cricket under the captaincy of Bavuma. Bavuma has become the player to win the most as captain without defeat in Test matches. Under the captaincy of Bavuma, South Africa has won 9 out of 10 Tests, while the South African team played a match draw under his captaincy against the West Indies.

Temba Bavuma is the first black African cricketer to score a century in Test cricket for South Africa. He is also the first Black African captain of South Africa. Bavuma also targeted critics after winning the title, who were doubting them and the team. Bavuma says, ‘We have reached here as a team. Some people suspected our journey. It was said that we traveled here by defeating weak teams. This victory is for the countrymen, for whom this is a emotional moment. It will probably take us a few days to feel it completely. I am sure that the countrymen will be celebrating this moment openly.

It would not be unfair to say that Temba Bavuma has changed the history of South African cricket. Even though Bavuma is not counted among the best cricket players of the current era, but his patience in the game and the ability to take the team along has been capable. Best wishes to Bavuma for his ahead of him ….

Temba Bavuma’s Test Career
Total match: 64
Run: 3708
Average: 38.22
Century: 4
Fifty: 25
Six: 16
Fours: 425

Temba Bavuma’s ODI career
Total match: 48
Run: 1847
Average: 43.97
Century: 5
Fifty: 7
Six: 26
Fours: 186

Temba Bavuma’s T20 I career
Total match: 36
Run: 670
Average: 21.61
Century: 0
Fifty: 1
Six: 16
Fours: 62