"He is slightly less celebrated, less acknowledged, and less appreciated" - Aakash Chopra lauds South African batter's knock in 2025 WTC final
Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Temba Bavuma for playing a fighting knock on Day 3 of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final. He opined that the South African captain isn't celebrated or appreciated enough.
South Africa bowled Australia out for 207 in their second innings on Day 3 of the 2025 WTC final at Lord's on Friday, June 13. Bavuma then scored an unbeaten 65 off 121 balls as the Proteas ended the day at 213/2 in pursuit of a 282-run target.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Bavuma for playing a captain's knock despite sustaining a leg injury, highlighting that the Proteas skipper is underrecognized.
"Temba has captained in 10 matches, and has won eight of them. He brought his team this far after winning seven consecutive matches. He suffered a leg injury, and he was hobbling. He was hobbling so much that it seemed like he might not reach the other end. However, the guy fought," Chopra said (1:20).
"A captain says 'Don't do as I say, do as I do.' There cannot be a bigger deed than showing it by doing it, and that is how you command respect, and captain Temba Bavuma is doing exactly that, the way he has batted, and he is still there. He is slightly less celebrated, less acknowledged, and less appreciated, but Lord Bavuma at the Lord's," he added.
Temba Bavuma seemingly suffered a hamstring injury early in his innings. However, he opted to stay in the middle, stitching an unbroken 143-run third-wicket partnership with Aiden Markram, who was unbeaten on 102 at Stumps.
"His combative spirit was seen" - Aakash Chopra on Temba Bavuma
![Temba Bavuma struck five fours during his unbeaten 65-run knock. [P/C: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/09fe3-17498744953237-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that South Africa could have suffered a collapse, which might have altered the course of the 2025 WTC final, had Temba Bavuma gotten out or left the field.
"He got half a chance for sure, but he is absolutely outstanding. His batting was incredible. His combative spirit was seen. If he had gotten out or had gone out, things could have changed if a collapse had happened, but Temba ensured that didn't happen," he said.
While questioning Bavuma's tactics as captain during Australia's second innings, the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the Proteas skipper could help end their long wait for an ICC title.
"Let's be honest, he seemed like he was allowing the game to drift a little as a captain, but let's keep captaincy aside for the time being, because he has done a job with the bat that they might end victorious today. They are very close. An ICC men's trophy might be in South Africa's name after 27 years," Chopra said.
South Africa won the 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy, now called the Champions Trophy. If they win the 2025 WTC final, they will break the West Indies' record of the longest gap between two ICC titles, with the Windies having won the 2004 Champions Trophy 25 years after their 1979 ODI World Cup triumph.