There is no stopping Temba Bavuma, the Test captain.
With the victory in the second Test against India in Guwahati, South African skipper Bavuma became the first-ever captain to reach 11 Test wins without suffering a defeat.
More significantly for South Africa, the win on Wednesday helped it end a 25-year wait for a series triumph in India.
Having experienced bruising Test series defeats in India in 2015 and 2019, Bavuma knows the magnitude of the achievement his team has pulled off.
"Coming to India is always a tough prospect. What makes it sweeter is the fact that we have been on the other side of the result. We know how dark it can be," said Bavuma at the post-match press conference.
"Coming here, I would have never thought 2-0 would be the result at the end of the series. But I think it's an incredible achievement for the group of players. Again, we've gone on to etch ourselves in history, and we are creating some memorable moments," added Bavuma.
The South African skipper was his usual understated self on the field throughout the series. Bavuma often left the bowlers to set their own fields, interjecting with their plans only rarely.
There was even an occasion, during India's first innings in Guwahati, when Bavuma placed himself under the helmet at forward short leg, an uncommon fielding position for a captain.
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"Guys generally follow what they see, not necessarily what you tell them. For me, [captaincy] is really a process of discovery. I am now a lot more assured as a person, as a captain and what I'm trying to do out there. We have a lot of leaders within the team. And I think it's kind of understanding where certain guys provide value within the team and allowing them to flourish within that space.
"I've got Keshav [Maharaj], I've got Aiden [Markram], I've got KG [Rabada]. From a tactical point of view, I can always bounce ideas off them, just to make sure that we're always moving in a certain direction as a unit. I have set that vision clear, but there are other guys who will help me make sure that we're all on the same page," said Bavuma.
Bavuma said he counted on Keshav Maharaj (R), Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada (not in pic) as leaders in the South African set-up. | Photo Credit: AFP
Bavuma said he counted on Keshav Maharaj (R), Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada (not in pic) as leaders in the South African set-up. | Photo Credit: AFP
Mirroring his calming presence as a captain, Bavuma also offered assurance with the bat in the South African middle order. He had scored the only fifty of the first Test on a treacherous Eden Gardens pitch, to set up his side's win.
"I think probably something that I have learned over the last couple of years is being able to separate the captain and the batter. I think it's important that you do your primary skill as well as you can. So, I always try to ensure that from a batting point of view, I'm contributing as much as I can to the team," said Bavuma.
The South African captain also hailed his spin bowling unit, singling out off-spinner Simon Harmer, who took 17 wickets in the series, for praise.
"I think Simon has come in and heavily bolstered our spin resources. As a team, over the years, we've highly relied on Maharaj. He wasn't at his best in the series, at his own admission. But Simon came in and did what he had to do.
Also supported by the other guys, Aiden Markram and Senuran Muthusamy, getting that breakthroughs for us. I've always said that our bowling has always been a strength of ours. And again, the way the guys have stepped up was incredible," said Bavuma.
Published on Nov 26, 2025
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