Temba Bavuma

Temba Bavuma is a South African cricketer who plays for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the domestic level. He was born on 17th of May, 1990, in Cape Town, South Africa.. Aside from his batting, he bowls useful part-time medium-pace, apart from being electric on the field, best exemplified during the Proteas tour to Australia in 2016.

Temba Bavuma is the captain of the South African squad in Test and ODI cricket and previously captained them in T20I cricket, as of October 2024. He is predominantly a right-handed opening batsman. Bavuma, who scored 113 runs against Ireland in September 2016, is one of three South African cricket players who recorded a century in their ODI debut.

Temba Bavuma: Along the Years

Temba Bavuma Records

• The only player of African descent to score a century in a Test match for South Africa.

• Bavuma scored 113 runs against Ireland to become just the second South African cricket player to reach 100 in his ODI debut.

• He is South Africa’s only permanently appointed black captain in South African history.

• In preparation for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Bavuma was selected as captain of South Africa's team.

Awards and Accolades

• Bavuma won the Award of Excellence at Cricket South Africa’s annual awards in 2017.

Temba Bavuma Career

Bavuma began his career in 2008 in Gauteng against Eastern Province. He made his franchise debut for the Highveld Lions, based in Johannesburg, in the 2010/11 season. Consistent performances over the course of a few seasons, and vacancies caused by the retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, and persistent injuries to AB de Villiers ensured he got a call-up to play Test cricket.

As of October 2024, Temba Bavuma captains the squad in Test and ODI cricket and previously captained them in T20I cricket. He was the first black African player to captain the team and score a century in a Test match for South Africa. Bavuma, who scored 113 runs against Ireland in September 2016, is one of three South African cricket players to score a century in their ODI debut.

Temba Bavuma Domestic and T20 Career

In 2008, Temba Bavuma made his debut against Eastern Province in Gauteng. He batted in the middle order and scored four runs in the first inning, momentarily setting a first-class record with teammate Dane Vilas.

In the 2010–11 season, he made his debut with the Lions. In this first season of the Supersport Series, he amassed 242 runs at an average of 60.50 in 4 games, including a match-winning performance of 124 not out against the Knights, which won him man of the match. In the 2011–12 Supersport season, which was his second, he scored 637 runs at an average of 53.08.

In 2012/13, he was the 5th highest scorer in the now renamed Sunfoil Series, but at a poorer average of 31.58. In 2013/14, he again scored heavily making 714 runs at an average of 39.66, seeing him place 6th on the Sunfoil Series scorers list. He earned five appearances for the South Africa A cricket team as a result of his efforts. The first was in Durban, in July 2012, against Sri Lanka A. In August of the same year, he participated in an A side match against Ireland while on tour.

His next A side outings came in a set of games between the Indian and Australian A sides and South Africa A played in South Africa. He faced India twice and Australia once. In the second game in an innings-long loss to the Indians, he scored 65 runs, which was his best performance at the time. He was part of the Gauteng team that competed in the 2015 Africa T20.

Before the 2017–18 season, Bavuma revealed in May 2017 that he was leaving the team to join the Cape Cobras. Bavuma was named the Highveld Lions' captain for all formats in June 2018. He was included in Gauteng's team for the 2018 Africa T20 Cup in September of that year. He was included in the Durban Heat team for the first Mzansi Super League T20 competition the following month. He was included in the Jozi Stars team squad for the 2019 Mzansi Super League in September 2019. He was added to Gauteng's squad in April 2021, just in time for the South African cricket season of 2021–2022.

Bavuma did not receive a contract from a team at the September 2022 SA20 League auction, but Sunrisers Eastern Cape signed him to replace Tom Abell in February 2023, after he scored significantly in the ODI series against England.

Temba Bavuma International Career

Bavuma made his Test debut for South Africa against West Indies on Boxing Day in 2014. In the New Year’s Test at Cape Town in 2016, he became the first black cricketer to make a Test century for the country. This was an unbeaten score of 102 in the 2nd Test of the series against England.

He made his ODI debut for South Africa against Ireland on 25 September 2016 and scored his maiden ODI century.

Temba Bavuma ODI Career

On September 25, 2016, Bavuma played his maiden One Day International match for South Africa against Ireland, where he recorded his first-ever ODI century. In lieu of Hashim Amla, he opened the batting attack with Quinton de Kock. Bavuma was the second player to strike a century in their first ODI for South Africa and was awarded player of the match for his efforts.

Taking over from Quinton de Kock, Bavuma was selected captain of South Africa's limited overs side on March 4, 2021. He became the first-ever black African player to hold the position of permanent captain for South Africa's national team. The home series against Pakistan was Bavuma's maiden series as the captain. He missed the T20I leg of the series due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the third ODI.

India went on a five-test and three-ODI tour of South Africa in December and January following the 2021 ICC T20I World Cup. With 221 runs at an average of 73.66 and two fifties, Bavuma was the fourth-highest run scorer in the test series and played a key role in South Africa's 3-1 victory. In the ODI series against India, Bavuma repeated his feat of scoring 153 runs, including a career-high 110.

He reached the 1000 run milestone in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on March 18, 2023, when he struck a career-high 144 runs off 118 balls against the West Indies in the second ODI.

Temba Bavuma Test Career

On December 26, 2014, Bavuma played his first Test match for South Africa against the West Indies. Bavuma became the first black cricketer to make a century in a Test match for South Africa on January 5, 2016. At Cape Town, he struck an undefeated 102 against England in the second Test of the 2015–16 series.

On November 7, 2016, Bavuma grabbed his first and only wicket in a Test match against Australia. Bavuma took home the Award of Excellence at Cricket South Africa's annual awards in May 2017.

Following the 2021 ICC T20I World Cup, India toured South Africa from December to January for five tests and three One-Day Internationals. With 221 runs at an average of 73.66 and two fifties, Bavuma was the fourth-highest run scorer in the test series and played a key role in South Africa's 3-1 victory. In the ODI series against India, Bavuma would repeat his feat of scoring 153 runs, including a career-high 110.

Temba Bavuma has played in 59 Test matches so far in his career, with the average of 35. He has scored 3,102 runs in total. Throughout his Test career, Temba Bavuma has hit 370 fours and 8 sixes, as of October 2024.

Temba Bavuma T20I Career

Bavuma was included in the South African Twenty20 International (T20I) team for their series against India in August 2019. On September 18, 2019, he played in his first T20I match for South Africa against India.

Bavuma achieved his first T20I half-century on July 24, 2021, against Ireland in the third Twenty20 International. He struck 72 off 51 deliveries, before being bowled out by Barry McCarthy. South Africa travelled to Sri Lanka in September for a three-ODI and three-T20I series. During the opening match, he hurt his right thumb while batting and had to leave the field. Bavuma underwent surgery for the injury, but he recovered enough to lead South Africa's team in the October 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

During the 2021 T20 World Cup, Bavuma batted in four games and scored 91 runs at an average of 30.33. Australia gave South Africa a poor start in the beginning. Nevertheless, they recovered to defeat England, the eventual semifinalist, and won four games in a row. Despite their winning streak, South Africa's net run rate resulted in their elimination in the group stage.

During the competition, Bavuma scored an undefeated 31 runs in a victory over Bangladesh and 46 runs in a victory against Sri Lanka. India went on a five-test and three-ODI tour of South Africa in December and January following the tournament. With 221 runs at, Bavuma was the fourth-highest run scorer in the test series.

South Africa toured India in June 2022 for five T20Is. Although Bavuma suffered an elbow injury in the fourth game and was unable to play in South Africa's subsequent trip to England, the series was drawn. Bavuma was out of form going into the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in October and November. That year, Bavuma took part in a second tour to India before the T20 World Cup. Despite being sidelined by illness for the majority of the tour, Bavuma managed to score eight runs in four innings in both T20Is and ODIs.

Bavuma led South Africa at the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Temba Bavuma Captaincy

Bavuma succeeded Quinton de Kock as captain of South Africa's limited overs team on March 4, 2021. He became the first-ever black African player to take up the charge of permanent captain for South Africa's national team. The home series against Pakistan was Bavuma's maiden series as captain. He missed the T20I leg of the series due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the third ODI.

Another noteworthy event in Bavuma's career came as a result of his severe lack of form during the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup, where he captained South Africa. Even though he led South Africa's T20I squad, Bavuma failed to gain a contract for the first SA20 league.

Despite his lacklustre performance in the T20 World Cup, Bavuma continued to lead the ODI team and amassed a large run total in the home series.

Temba Bavuma Under-19 Career

Bavuma belonged to the Soweto Cricket Club, where he was coached by Geoffrey Toyana when he was a youngster, in addition to playing for his school.

He joined the Gauteng first-class squad at the age of 18, and three seasons later, he was a member of the franchise team, the Lions. In his second summer, he averaged over 45 owing to his superb technique, especially from the back foot, and he displayed composure beyond his years. After making a reputation for himself within the Lions' leadership group, Bavuma was elected vice captain for the 2013–14 season.

Bavuma, who scored the fifth-most runs in the 2012–13 season and sixth in the 2013–14 season, was a member of the South Africa A team. He was selected for the West Indies Test Match team at the end of 2014

Temba Bavuma Family

Raised in Langa, where cricket is a passionate sport, Bavuma, Thami Tsolekile, and Malusi Siboto all live on the same street. Bavuma had his education at St. David's Marist Inanda, a boys high school in Sandton, and South African College Junior School in Newlands. Vuyo Bavuma is the father of Temba while Phumza Bavuma is his mother. Temba Bavuma has been married to Phila Lobi since August 2018.