2LT National News

• Proteas limited overs captain Temba Bavuma said he’ll assert his leadership in the best way the team allows him.
• Bavuma’s leadership run towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts against Pakistan on Friday at SuperSport Park.
• Bavuma also said he’ll be batting in the top-order where most of his innings have come in ODI cricket.

Proteas limited overs captain Temba Bavuma said his influence as a leader in the team will show as he’ll be the team’s points-man on the field.

Bavuma’s tenure as the white-ball leader starts on Friday at SuperSport Park in Centurion in the first of three ODIs against Pakistan.

Bavuma earned the captaincy on the back of his leadership of the Lions that saw him and the team excel at every format.

They didn’t defend their Four-Day Franchise Series title very well, but upstaged the Dolphins in the Betway T20 Challenge to defend that particular title.

The 30-year-old Bavuma said he’ll try his best to stamp his authority on proceedings in formats where captains have to be proactive and not allow the game to drift.

“I’m going to have to try to do so. At the end of the day, I am going to be the guy on the field towards decision-making and providing the way forward. The work starts off the field in the communication and the chats that we have in our relevant groups,” Bavuma said.

“It’ll be about executing the plans and the white ball captain is a person of influence and I believe I’m someone who can influence things. In time, the influence and contribution that I’ll have on the team will show.”

With the series also clashing with the start of the Indian Premier League, Bavuma had resigned himself to losing some of his best players after the second ODI (Pink Day ODI) at the Wanderers on Sunday.

Bavuma saw an opportunity to wrap up the series before the quintet of Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje jet off to their respective IPL franchises and says the Proteas will find a way to win in their absence.

“We are aware of the arrangement that is in place and in the first two games, we’ve got the liberty of having all our players available. It is important that we get the positive results in the first two games, but that’s not to say we’re conceding the last game,” Bavuma said.

“We believe we have worthy enough replacements to fill in those boots, so the guys leaving isn’t as disturbing. There is a good relationship between Cricket South Africa and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.”

Where Bavuma will bat is also one of the questions the series will answer. He’s floated about in the Test team, but Faf du Plessis’s Test retirement may allow him to focus on a specific position.

In his six ODIs, he’s opened the batting twice and batted at three for the other games. With the young talent that performed in his absence during the Australia series, there’s a fair bit of competition outside of the established spots.

Bavuma’s batting position ideally should not be up for debate, but he said the lowest he’ll bat is number four.

“Those conversations are still ongoing, but I’ll probably find myself either in the top three or at the lowest at number four. I guess being versatile is something I’ve always prided myself in and it’s something I’ve always had to do in my career. I guess it will depend on the team roles that we’re all comfortable with and making sure I have the skills to achieve in my role,” Bavuma said.

Source: News24