Sunrisers Eastern Cape batsman Temba Bavuma says he is in a good mental space and hopes to turn out in the SA20 soon.
The Proteas Test and one-day captain has been nursing a left hamstring strain that forced him to leave the field early in the Boxing Day Test match against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
He had been rested for the preceding T20 and ODI series to recover from a right hamstring niggle he sustained during the ICC Cricket World Cup in India earlier in 2023.
Bavuma, who was brought into the ranks of the Orange Army in season one, is yet to see any on-field action this season as he continues his return-to-play procedures.
“I am just going through the processes as best I can, it’s never easy being injured, especially if the injuries are similar, because then you doubt the work you have been putting in.
“I started running again and that’s feeling good, so I just need to continue working hard,” he said.
After taking over the captaincy of the national white ball sides in March 2021, his time at the helm has been a roller-coaster ride, having led the team at the T20 World Cup tournaments in 2021 and 2022 and failing on both occasions to qualify for the semifinals.
Bavuma initially went unsold in the inaugural edition of the SA20 before coming in as a replacement player midway through the tournament.
As the landscape of national cricket in SA changed with the new management duo of Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter brought in to lead the red and white ball sides, the DP World Lions man relinquished the T20 captaincy and was replaced by Aiden Markram.
Bavuma, in turn, replaced Dean Elgar as captain of the Test side — becoming its first black African skipper — while retaining the armband in the 50-over format.
It is in the longest white ball format that Bavuma has shown his value to the side.
As captain, Bavuma played 31 innings between 2021 and 2023, scoring 1,177 runs at an average of 43.59, including four hundreds against India, England, the West Indies (against whom he scored his highest ODI tally of 144) and Australia, along with three half centuries.
In the same period, he was also impressive in the red ball format, scoring more than 1,060 runs in 15 matches, including a splendid 172 against the Windies, with six half-centuries at an average of 46.17.
Despite not having a great World Cup, he led the Proteas from the brink of a qualification tournament to the semifinals of the 2023 global showpiece, breaking a series of tournament records along the way.
Having gone into the World Cup with decent form, Bavuma said he had expected a lot more of himself with the bat.
“As a batter, I put a lot of expectation on myself going into the tournament and I expected a lot more runs but that didn’t happen for many reasons.
“Mentally, I am in a good space now, I have had time to look at things as unemotionally as I can and pave the way forward,” he said.
“Being back here [with the Sunrisers] has been such a joy, just to be able to be with the team again.
“Coach Adrian Birrell and captain Aiden Markram create such a great environment. Birrell is one of the best people-orientated coaches.
“He really makes you feel a part of the team and makes you feel valuable, and this is probably something I needed, looking at how things have gone in the last couple of months.”
Recovering Proteas skipper says he's running again
Bavuma ready to take on SA20
Proteas skipper delighted to be back with Orange Army, eager to turn out in SA20 tournament
Sunrisers Eastern Cape batsman Temba Bavuma says he is in a good mental space and hopes to turn out in the SA20 soon.
The Proteas Test and one-day captain has been nursing a left hamstring strain that forced him to leave the field early in the Boxing Day Test match against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
He had been rested for the preceding T20 and ODI series to recover from a right hamstring niggle he sustained during the ICC Cricket World Cup in India earlier in 2023.
Bavuma, who was brought into the ranks of the Orange Army in season one, is yet to see any on-field action this season as he continues his return-to-play procedures.
“I am just going through the processes as best I can, it’s never easy being injured, especially if the injuries are similar, because then you doubt the work you have been putting in.
“I started running again and that’s feeling good, so I just need to continue working hard,” he said.
After taking over the captaincy of the national white ball sides in March 2021, his time at the helm has been a roller-coaster ride, having led the team at the T20 World Cup tournaments in 2021 and 2022 and failing on both occasions to qualify for the semifinals.
Bavuma initially went unsold in the inaugural edition of the SA20 before coming in as a replacement player midway through the tournament.
As the landscape of national cricket in SA changed with the new management duo of Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter brought in to lead the red and white ball sides, the DP World Lions man relinquished the T20 captaincy and was replaced by Aiden Markram.
Bavuma, in turn, replaced Dean Elgar as captain of the Test side — becoming its first black African skipper — while retaining the armband in the 50-over format.
It is in the longest white ball format that Bavuma has shown his value to the side.
As captain, Bavuma played 31 innings between 2021 and 2023, scoring 1,177 runs at an average of 43.59, including four hundreds against India, England, the West Indies (against whom he scored his highest ODI tally of 144) and Australia, along with three half centuries.
In the same period, he was also impressive in the red ball format, scoring more than 1,060 runs in 15 matches, including a splendid 172 against the Windies, with six half-centuries at an average of 46.17.
Despite not having a great World Cup, he led the Proteas from the brink of a qualification tournament to the semifinals of the 2023 global showpiece, breaking a series of tournament records along the way.
Having gone into the World Cup with decent form, Bavuma said he had expected a lot more of himself with the bat.
“As a batter, I put a lot of expectation on myself going into the tournament and I expected a lot more runs but that didn’t happen for many reasons.
“Mentally, I am in a good space now, I have had time to look at things as unemotionally as I can and pave the way forward,” he said.
“Being back here [with the Sunrisers] has been such a joy, just to be able to be with the team again.
“Coach Adrian Birrell and captain Aiden Markram create such a great environment. Birrell is one of the best people-orientated coaches.
“He really makes you feel a part of the team and makes you feel valuable, and this is probably something I needed, looking at how things have gone in the last couple of months.”
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