Several South African players returned home this past week after losing to eventual winners Australia in the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Coach Rob Walter and team captain Temba Bavuma returned on Saturday night, November 18.
After coming home, Temba Bavuma admitted that his batting campaign had been difficult. He had only scored 145 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.12 and a strike rate of 73.60. In spite of this, the 33-year-old highlighted his strong leadership abilities during the just-finished competition. Notably, South Africa won five of the seven games played with Bavuma.
In addition to being the captain, I am also a batsman. I attempt to keep the two apart. I’m not sure how to assess someone’s ability to captain effectively. Among all the South African teams in the group stage, we were the most successful. “What metrics are we going to use to judge whether a guy is using the job as the captain? We’ve won World Cups against teams that haven’t lost in a while,” Daily Maverick cited Temba Bavuma as saying.
From a batter’s perspective, I was not carrying my fair share of the load, something I am fully aware of. However, the fact that I was involved in collaborations at the highest level gives us a great deal of confidence. One of my responsibilities on the squad is to form partnerships, and from a running perspective, a lot of individuals were taking on that extra burden,” he continued.
I refuse to back down in the face of difficulty. Temba Bavuma
Temba Bavuma who was seen as the culprit for the semi-final defeat, admitted that he was having trouble with his form and playing despite a hamstring injury. The 33-year-old acknowledged that he was not totally healthy for the pivotal match against Australia, but he also made it clear that he would not be missing the encounter. In response to the criticism he had received, Temba Bavuma reaffirmed his dedication to the position of Proteas captain, saying he has no plans to abdicate it.
It is odd to think that I would resign in a World Cup semifinal. Adversity and calls from those yelling on Facebook or Twitter won’t deter me from accepting who I am. I will always make decisions with the benefit of the team in mind. I have stated from the start that I would gladly go if any of the lads had indicated to me, “Temba, you are not the man for the job as captain.”
We’ve been together since 2020, and these are the guys. We have a deep understanding of one another and our goals in playing together. I’m not the man on Facebook or Twitter. Yes, I wasn’t always at my best, but if you know anything about professional cricket, you know that players don’t always play their best. Despite having shattered fingers, I have performed well while playing for the nation.
India
