IND vs SA | We will have to play well as a team against India, says Temba Bavuma

08/28/2019

South African batsman Temba Bavuma reckons that teamwork, and not individual efforts, will be key for his side's prospects in their upcoming tour of India. Bavuma also feels that the tour will serve as a huge learning curve and a massive opportunity for the youngsters in the South African team.

Temba Bavuma, who was a part of South Africa's infamous "blockathon" at the Feroz Shah Kotla in 2015, believes that it will need to be a collaborative effort from the whole squad if they are to get the better of India. The 29-year-old feels that the tour will be a massive challenge for both the batters and the bowlers, but is welcoming of it for the betterment of both the individuals and the team.

“Obviously any team will want to play well in India which has got a quality side," Bavuma was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

"As batsmen we will like to challenge ourselves by against bowlers like Bumrah Jadeja and Ashwin. And it will also be a challenge to bowl to world class batsmen like Kohli, Pujara and others in the sub continental pitches. More than individual performances we will have to play well as a team in the upcoming tour,” he added.

With the shocking retirement of veteran batsman Hashim Amla earlier this month, Bavuma believes that the onus will be on senior players like him to step up the game against a quality Indian side. He also stated that he is striving for improvement on a daily basis and that he would like to see more runs and centuries next to his name.

"It is difficult for any team in the world to fill the void left behind by Amala's retirement. It is up to guys like me who have been playing test cricket regularly for last two years to step in and try to make it count,” he said.

“As a batter you are always greedy and would want more runs and centuries against your name. I am enjoying my journey as a Test cricketer and I am always trying to improve,” Bavuma added.

A major controversy in South African setup has been the frequency of players opting for Kolpak deals, with the recent departure of pacers Kyle Abbott and Duanne Olivier denting the team's progress big time. Though it is not something that is controllable, Bavuma feels that the players coming through the ranks are good enough to fill the void left by the players who departed.

“Kolpak contract is something which we cannot control but the academy structure in South Africa is good and we are able to get replacements pretty fast,” he said.

The 29-year-old has been named in both the T20I and Test squads to tour India and will be looking to make his opportunity count.