Temba Bavuma, the captain of South Africa's Test cricket team, expressed pride in his country's performance during the recent men's T20 World Cup, despite their narrow loss to India in the final. Bavuma, who led South Africa in the ODI World Cup last year and faced early exits in previous tournaments, sees the T20 team's achievement in reaching the final as a significant milestone—marking their first appearance in the final of any men's World Cup across both formats.
Even though Bavuma is not part of the T20I setup due to concerns about his strike rate, he emphasised the growth and confidence of the white-ball team, noting their ability to handle pressure better than in the past. He believes the experience gained from the final can benefit the Test side, instilling a belief that success is achievable in the future.
As the Test team prepares for a series against the West Indies, Bavuma recognises the challenges ahead, particularly with the team not having played a Test since February and several players participating in franchise T20 tournaments. He stressed the importance of aligning the team's philosophy and culture to create a conducive environment for performance, while also acknowledging the influence of T20 on batting styles.
With injuries and absences affecting their bowling attack, Bavuma highlighted the need for the team to adapt and find effective strategies to win under pressure, emphasising resilience over the aesthetics of their playing style. The team's focus lies on embracing the challenge, with the hope of transferring the learnings from their T20 experience into their Test campaign.