Proteas ODI and Test captain Temba Bavuma has expressed that his omission from the T20 squad was expected and aligns with his current focus on long-format cricket.
The 34-year-old, who hasn’t played a T20 match for South Africa since September of last year, was also absent from the squad that reached the finals of the T20 World Cup in June. Recently, Bavuma has been in excellent form in red-ball cricket, scoring nearly 300 runs in his last four Test innings, highlighting his growing prowess in the format.
Speaking about his exclusion, Bavuma stated, “It’s not a surprise that I’m not there, but me being in the T20 squad would’ve raised more eyebrows. It’s better this way that I’m not included. My focus now is on Test cricket, and I’m going to try to perform my best in that format,” Bavuma said, according to ESPN Cricinfo.
Bavuma will once again captain the Proteas in the upcoming second Test against the West Indies, which begins on Thursday. The first Test ended in a draw after rain disrupted three of the five days. Bavuma, who scored 171 against the West Indies last year, continued his fine form with 86 runs in the first innings of the first Test, narrowly missing out on his third career century.
While Bavuma is no longer part of the T20 setup, he remains the captain of South Africa’s Test and ODI teams. Looking ahead, he emphasized his commitment to both Test and 50-over cricket, saying, “There’s also 50-over cricket coming in the next few months, and one thing I can trust is that if I perform well in Test and 50-over cricket, everything else will follow. It’s not a surprise that I’m not in the T20 squad.”
As the Proteas aim to climb the Test rankings, Bavuma and his team will be looking to secure another series victory over the West Indies.
