Temba Bavuma’s inclusion in the SA A side as captain is a positive leap toward South Africa achieving their desired brand of cricket, writes Ongama Gcwabe.

A tough-minded brand of cricket is on the cards for CSA. This is after CSA CEO, Thabang Moroe suggested that the system needed to produce more tough-minded cricketers.

READ: MOROE: WE NEED TO BREED TOUGH-MINDED CRICKETERS

This brand of cricket was properly portrayed by the likes of Rahul Dravid, and perhaps Hashim Amla when he was at his peak. South African Cricket desperately needs tough-minded cricketers, especially in the batting department. We need another player we can rely on besides Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Faf du Plessis.

Many would say that we are well-set for 2023 in the bowling department with Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius still playing, but that can not be said with our batting.

We are shaky but we have something to work with. The likes of Kyle Verreynne, Matthew Breetzke and Janneman Malan, who are really promising and have the potential to be great players. But all these guys are young and they need an experienced leader to influence them to adopt this trait we so desperately need.

Temba Bavuma has been added to the SA A one-day side to tour India in August and September 2019. He has been added as the captain of the side.

His inclusion is a huge leap forward, toward achieving the brand of cricket we want to play. This is a move that some may feel that CSA should have made a bit earlier, especially now that the Proteas are knocked out in the group stages of the competition.

Temba has always been someone the team can rely on and he has the stats to back it up. For instance, the Proteas toured England in 2017 and Bavuma was the second-highest run-scorer for South Africa with 342 runs at an average of 42.75 in nine innings. Yes, it was Test cricket, but it was Test cricket in England! Everyone knows that only tough-minded cricketers are capable of make big runs in England.

Temba Bavuma has played two ODI’s for South Africa and has scores of 113* at a strike rate of 91.86 and a 48 at a strike rate of 102.12 at an average of 80.50.

In the One-Day Cup 2018/19, he accumulated 212 runs in his five innings, at an average of 53.00, and with a strike rate of 99.53.

This is proof that he can perform in limited-overs cricket too.

Ongama Gcwabe is a sports journalist and the owner of 100mph_CSA.
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Photo: CSA/Twitter