Bavuma’s hard work took him to Sunrisers, says Proteas coach

Proteas batting consultant Justin Sammons says SA white-ball captain Temba Bavuma earned his late instalment in the Sunrisers Eastern Cape SA20 squad through sheer guts and hard work.

The past six to eight months have been an emotional rollercoaster for Bavuma. A series of low scores at the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, together with the Proteas’ premature exit courtesy of the Netherlands, led to Bavuma receiving bucketloads of criticism.

He returned from the tournament in November with the body language of a condemned man, and many might have written off his future in any form of the game for SA.

The opening batter handled the criticism and sometimes open abuse gracefully and maturely in his media engagements and personal life. Most importantly, he has shielded his teammates from the criticism and blamed no-one but himself for the shortcomings of the national side.

“He’s had to deal with a lot,” Sammons said.

Snubbed at the SA20 auction in 2022, Bavuma took it on the chin and made no complaints whatsoever. But the tough times seemed to have fuelled him to find his groove once again.

He showcased his skill set in the recently concluded ODI series against England, including a superb run chase as his 109 off 102 balls spurred SA to 347/5, having been set 342 by England in the second game.

The right-handed batter came out guns blazing at the top of the order, playing quicks of the calibre of Jofra Archer with notable ease. He played paddle scoops, pull shots, shimmying down the wicket and piercing the gaps with ease as he raced to a third career century in the second ODI in Bloemfontein.

All that improvement in his game led to his signing by the Gqeberha-based Sunrisers for the remainder of the SA20.

“I’m really excited for him. He proved what he can do in this ODI series. He’s put in a lot of time and effort behind the scenes, and it’s pleasing to see that the work has paid off in this series and is being recognised by a team like the Sunrisers,” said Sammons.

Sammons has backed Bavuma through his rough patch and knows precisely what this signing will do for the SA captain.

“It’ll be a big confidence boost for him. It’s a confirmation and an affirmation in terms of the work he’s been putting in. It is evident he has the ability to do in the SA20 what he’s done against England in the ODI series,” Sammons said.

Bavuma joined the Sunrisers squad ahead of their clash against Joburg Super Kings on Sunday at Wanderers. His purple patch continued with a blistering 50 off 34 balls that was not enough to stop the Kings winning by 24 runs.

On Friday Bavuma made a duck in a rained-out game against Durban’s Super Giants at Kingsmead.