South Africa’s captain wants to “play on the front foot” to once and for all stamp his team’s authority in the Test format
Firdose Moonda21-Nov-20251:57
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Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad have already been where no other South African team have before – a WTC final victory, an undefeated streak as captain for Bavuma and a ten-Test unbeaten run for Conrad as coach. Now, they want to go one step further.Though South Africa have won a series in India before – 25 years ago – and a draw in Guwahati will be enough to achieve that for a second time, they have never won three Tests in a row in Asia. In itself, that may be nothing more than good pub quiz trivia but what it would do in underlining South Africa’s championship status is massive.If that sounds like all South Africa talk about is justification, it may be, but it comes against the backdrop of the conversation that was had before they lifted the mace at Lord’s. Things were said. True things like South Africa not playing either England or Australia in the cycle, and only faced India at home. Silly things like they weren’t properly tested in the subcontinent because Bangladesh (and this was said about South Africa not by them) don’t really count. South Africa always said those things didn’t bother them but they noticed them enough to be fuelled by them, and that shows.Related
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South Africa validated themselves after winning the mace by squaring a series in tough conditions in Pakistan, and doing it without regular captain Bavuma, and then taking the series lead against India in Kolkata. Imagine what a series win over India, who South Africa suffered two of their worst defeats to in 2015 and 2019, would say about this side?They know it would substantially elevate this group’s status and are looking forward to the opportunity to add a few more lines to what has been a near-perfect script over the last 24 months.”The mood is buoyant amongst the boys,” Bavuma said at the pre-match conference in Guwahati. “We’re excited to try and replicate our performance from the first Test. We’re also excited to be a part of the first Test here in Guwahati. Looking at where the series is at and the whole narrative around it, we’re looking forward to it being an exciting and thrilling game.”If South Africa win – and depending on what happens in Perth and then across the next month in the Ashes – they could also end up near the top of the WTC 2025-27 table, which is a position they will hold until they next play a Test in October 2026. While it’s far too early in the cycle to be concerned about where teams are, as defending champions, it’s far more palatable to be close to the summit than not.Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad hug after the Kolkata Test•AFP/Getty ImagesSpeaking of The Ashes, it’s impossible not to compare the hype and frenzy of what is going on between Australia and England to the contest between the much younger but equally intense rivalry between India and South Africa, and similarly impossible not to wish the latter had the length of the former.That this series is limited to two matches is a consequence of a Future Tours Programme (FTP) that was decided more than three years ago, when South Africa were not as desirable an opposition. That South Africa have only played two-Test series since early 2023 is a consequence of that same FTP, when Cricket South Africa (CSA) needed to be financially savvy as they neared bankruptcy, which translated to hosting fewer Tests, especially against loss-making opposition. (Sidenote: they also only hosted India, a profit-making side, for two Tests in 2023-24 but made even more money through white-ball matches against them and so, opted for more of those, including four T20Is in 2024).All that will change slightly next year when South Africa host England and Australia for three Tests each. For now, this two-match series is all they have and naturally, an Indian media that also wants more asked Bavuma about it. While Bavuma stressed that he has no say in the schedule, he provided a typically thoughtful answer.”Every player that has had the opportunity to interact with the media and that has that question (of whether they want to play more Tests) put in front of them, has voiced out their frustration,” Bavuma said. “It would be nice for a 3-4 match series against a formidable team like India. And I think it’s just good for the fans when people get to see good cricket, get to see one team dominating and then the other. As players, all we can do is what we’ve been trying to do out on the field: keep playing good cricket. I think that will attract the top nations to play a lot more cricket against us.”
“Our mindset is not on protecting the lead that we have. We want to play on the front foot, and we will continue to do so. Whatever opportunities are there within the game, we’ll look to be ruthless and take them”Temba Bavuma
And he confirmed what many of us suspect. “We woke up this morning to watch the Ashes and with a bit of jealousy, knowing that they’ve got five Tests. Hopefully, not too far in the future, but more in the near future, we’ll go back to playing four Tests against India. Whether here in India, or back home in South Africa.”The last four Test series between India and South Africa was in 2015, and South Africa lost 3-0. They have only played three other four-Test series since, all against England and lost them all.None of that will be on their mind when they line up to play India on Saturday. The sides are as evenly matched as they come: South Africa without Kagiso Rabada again, the leader of their attack, and India, without their leader, Shubman Gill, and both sides know as much about what to expect from the venue as the other.With no Tests played in Guwahati, though India have home advantage, they don’t have any more experience in Tests here than South Africa.The one thing both know is that given the time of year and how far east the city is, darkness comes early and play could be curtailed. Bavuma was even asked if that may help his side drag things out to a draw – nevermind that South Africa haven’t drawn in 13 Tests – and he made it clear that South Africa came to get a job done and they want to finish it.”Our mindset is not on protecting the lead that we have. We want to play on the front foot, and we will continue to do so. In terms of the game, we’ll play what’s in front of us,” Bavuma said. “We understand that light does become an issue but we don’t want to go in there with that defensive mindset.”Whatever opportunities are there within the game, we’ll look to be ruthless and take them. If there’s an opportunity for it to be 2-0, then so be it.”