Bavuma’s legacy on the line in jam-packed international summer

Temba Bavuma faces a legacy-defining summer that gives him another opportunity to make captaincy history with the Proteas.

He’s already led South Africa to an ICC title and won a series in India, but if Bavuma can also beat Australia, Bangladesh and England in one season, it would rank among the great captaincy achievements in South African cricket history.

Much like India, where South Africa hadn’t won a Test series in 25 years until last year’s 2-0 victory, England have not lost a Test series on South African soil since 1999/2000.

The 2018 3-1 victory in the controversial series against the Australians was the first by a South African side on home soil against the Baggy Greens in the post-isolation era.

As the Australians can attest, Bangladesh are no pushovers. A demanding schedule will see the South African team play 20 international matches, beginning with Thursday’s first ODI against Pat Cummins’ team and ending with an ODI series against England on January 15.

Bavuma has not lost a Test as Proteas captain, having won 11 of 12 matches, and keeping that streak intact will require skill and resilience from the 36-year-old and those he leads.

Even before the summer has started, the national team’s depth is being put under pressure, with Kagiso Rabada first, then Ottneil Baartman and, on Friday, Lungi Ngidi withdrawn from the ODI squad for the Australia series with hamstring injuries.

Given how tight the schedule is, the toll on the fast bowlers will already be a concern for Bavuma and the Proteas management.

Following the cricket famine of 2025/26, the feast this summer will put a Proteas team that last played a Test on home soil in January 2025 under the microscope against opponents also under significant pressure.

The Australians will be playing a Test series in this country for the first time since the “sandpaper” debacle eight years ago. They’re anticipating a hot reception at venues which hosted the first three Tests in 2018, including Newlands, the scene of the scratchy crime.

“I’m sure there’ll be a bit [of sledging from the crowd],” Cummins told the Keepinitcricket podcast last week. “But it can’t be louder than an away Ashes crowd. As long as I’ve been touring South Africa, there are some parts of the crowd that get stuck in.”

He is probably more concerned about how his fragile batting line-up will cope, even against a Proteas attack that may not have Rabada and Ngidi in the line-up. South Africa’s primary fast bowlers are undertaking rehabilitation programmes, and there were good signs from Rabada, who posted a video on social media late last week showing him bowling indoors.

He’s probably more concerned about how his fragile batting line-up will cope, even against a Proteas attack that may not have Rabada and Ngidi in the line-up. Both of South Africa’s primary fast bowlers are undertaking rehabilitation programmes and there were good signs from Rabada, who posted a video on social media late last week showing him bowling indoors.

Nevertheless, such is the current state of the Australian top order that the Proteas will be confident of making inroads, whatever combination of bowlers they field.