HAVING just beaten Bangladesh 2-0 at home, Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma chats to SportsBoom about what the future of the Proteas Test team looks like given the rise of youngsters Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi and David Bedingham.
HISTORIC SERIES VICTORY IN ASIA
Who would’ve thought that a Proteas Test side with virtually no big names as compared to the star-studded teams of the past could travel to Bangladesh and Asia and record the country’s first-ever Test series victory in Asia in a decade?
After all, even a Test side with greats such as Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and Faf du Plessis could not achieve the feat in Bangladesh when they toured in 2015.
However, against all odds, an inexperienced Proteas Test squad got the job done in Dhaka and Chittagong as they beat Bangladesh 2-0.
Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma lauded the young team for completing the Test series victory in very challenging conditions in Bangladesh last week.
“The way they’ve performed in the series was incredible where generally playing away from home is always very tough,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.com.
“You generally rely on your senior players, guys who have seen things enough to stand up for the team, but we had a situation where it wasn’t just the senior guys who stood up. So, that was very refreshing to see.”
THE NEXT GENERATION TEST CRICKETERS
The series victory has put South Africa in a good position to qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s as they are now left with four home Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The fact that youngsters such as Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder all delivered big centuries in Bangladesh means South Africa has a chance to dominate Sri Lanka and Pakistan and book a spot in the final.
Bavuma says that the new generation of cricketers has come into Test cricket and played freely and fearlessly which was refreshing to witness.
“A guy like Tony at the top, he came in and was part of the whole rebuilding of the team. Coming in and filling in the boots of a guy like Dean Elgar was always going to be a stiff task but he’s handling himself very well and is really starting to settle in at international level.”
“I think there is so much more room for his game to grow which is so exciting, but he is still doing what we require from him at the top of the batting order.”
“Then you have Stubbs coming in at three, in a position he’s not accustomed to, but I think the backing that was shown to him he is starting to pay returns to that. The kid is obviously superbly talented. He’s got a very good technique which obviously helps.”
“His future, not just in the Test side really, but in South African colours, is quite a bright one.”
“Wiaan Mulder as well, he came into international cricket at a very young age with a lot of promise, a lot of expectation. But I think since then, looking at the person and player he’s becoming, now he’s starting to stay true to all those expectations.
“I think he’s really going to be an important cog in our team. A guy like him coming in at seven, who can score hundreds gives you a formidable look as a batting unit.”
“A guy like Kyle Verreynne as well, the way that he performed in that first Test, he put on a masterclass there on how to sweep the ball.”
“Just generally, the way the young guys came through, even a guy like Bedingham as well, it’s very refreshing to see.”?
The future of the Proteas Test side looks bright and with Bavuma at the helm, the team might just find themselves in London for the World Test Championship next year. – SportsBoom
