Bavuma has returned to lead the South Africa’s campaign to secure a spot in the WTC final
Temba Bavuma has fully recovered from his elbow injury and has been included in the squad for South Africa’s upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, as the team aims to secure a spot in next year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Bavuma, who has not played since October 4 after injuring his elbow while diving to make his ground during an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, missed the Lions’ opening two first-class fixtures and will also sit out the third match against Western Province at the Wanderers this week.
Instead, he will join South Africa for a two-day camp in Pretoria before traveling to Durban for the first Test next Wednesday.
By the time Bavuma steps out for the toss, it will have been over seven weeks since he last played competitive cricket and more than three months since his last Test appearance against the West Indies in Guyana in August.
He missed the recent Test series in Bangladesh, where South Africa won 2-0 under Aiden Markram’s leadership.
South Africa’s head coach, Shukri Conrad, acknowledged the challenge of Bavuma returning without match practice but expressed confidence in their camp’s ability to simulate match situations.
“Whatever players achieve in a four-day match, we believe we can replicate in our two-day camp,” Conrad said, adding that Bavuma’s fitness test, which checked both his elbow and aerobic conditioning, was passed with no issues.
Bavuma had undergone batting sessions against quick bowlers and throw-downs without experiencing any pain in his elbow.
Bavuma, often a divisive figure in South African cricket, has faced criticism for his slow scoring in limited-overs formats, with detractors pointing to his strike rate of 88.71 in ODIs and his relatively low number of centuries in Tests.
However, his supporters highlight his resilience, noting his 21 Test half-centuries and his consistent performance in challenging conditions.
Since his Test debut in 2014, only Dean Elgar has scored more runs for South Africa.
Conrad, a strong advocate for Bavuma, welcomed his return, saying, “We’re thrilled to have Temba back.
He’s like a kid in a toy shop because he hasn’t played Test cricket in a while.
It’s important to have him back as captain; we work very well together.”
Alongside Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada returns after being rested for the T20I series against India, while Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee also rejoin the squad after conditioning breaks.
Coetzee, who sustained a hamstring strain during the T20I series, has been cleared after undergoing scans.
Conrad is confident that the two-day camp in Pretoria will sufficiently prepare the players for the Test series.
He emphasized that the bowlers will receive ample practice, including three spells a day, which he believes will be just as effective, if not more so, than playing a four-day match.
Should South Africa win both Tests against Sri Lanka and the two Tests against Pakistan later this year, they will secure a spot in the WTC final at Lord’s next June.
Currently, South Africa is in fifth place in the standings, just behind Sri Lanka in third, with only a small percentage gap separating the teams from second to fifth.
“This table is going to be topsy-turvy over the next few months,” Conrad said, reflecting the tight race for WTC qualification.
South Africa Test squad:
| Player Name |
|---|
| Temba Bavuma (captain) |
| David Bedingham |
| Gerald Coetzee |
| Tony de Zorzi |
| Marco Jansen |
| Keshav Maharaj |
| Aiden Markram |
| Wiaan Mulder |
| Senuran Muthusamy |
| Dane Paterson |
| Kagiso Rabada |
| Tristan Stubbs |
| Ryan Rickelton |
| Kyle Verreynne |
Schedule:
| DATE | MATCHES | VENUES |
|---|---|---|
| November 27 to December 1 | 1st Test | Kingsmead, Durban |
| December 5 to December 9 | 2nd Test | St George’s Park, Gqeberha |
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