Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s first black African captain, prepares to lead his team in the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s. In February 2023, newly appointed head coach Shukri Conrad named Bavuma the Test captain. His life as a cricketer was not just peppered with remarkable performance on the field, he had a profound commitment to social work.
Bavuma’s first Test cricket appearance came in 2014. In 2016 he made his own history, becoming the first black African to score a Test match century for South Africa. His unbeaten century against England at Newlands shifted perceptions about his capabilities, dispelling the label of being a “quota cricketer.” With four centuries and an average of 37.95 in 63 Tests, Bavuma has demonstrated resilience in a challenging cricketing landscape.
As he looks back on his career, Bavuma clearly feels the burden of his position. His choice to be the first black African changed the narrative as it added a different context to his experience. He stressed the additional challenges he has had to deal with as a trailblazer in South African cricket.
Trust and empathy are key ingredients in Bavuma’s leadership style, principles he learned from Conrad. “When he told me I’d be Test captain, my first question was, ‘Why?’ because I’d felt it was this honour and privilege that you just had to accept,” Bavuma recalled. The affirmation from his coach instilled confidence in him: “When he unequivocally said, ‘You’re the best player in the team and you’re the best person to lead it,’ that gave me a lot of confidence and comfort to step into those shoes.”
Yet for all his achievements, there’s one stereotype of players of colour that precisively gnaws at Bavuma. He said, “As players of colour, we get judged so critically. When we have a low score—when we’re not scoring runs or taking wickets—we just get seen as quota players. These sentiments, while troubling, are a testament to how well he’s perceived the idea of societal expectations and those associated with his identity.
Bavuma’s captaincy journey thus far has been a mixed bag. Their South African team was under considerable criticism after coming through a tough path to the World Test Championship final. Nonetheless, Bavuma states that his approach to leadership emphasizes empowering his teammates: “As a captain, there’ll always be the essence of putting the team first, but I try to make sure my game is in order then try to empower the guys around me.” He thinks this inclusive, collective leadership breed is the secret sauce behind the team’s success.
This rich Test history was epitomised during the Proteas’ rise to world number one in the ICC Test rankings in 2012. Bavuma’s focus remains on the present. His playing days may be behind him, but the upcoming final at Lord’s marks an important new chapter in his career. Playing in the final at Lord’s against Australia will be a big highlight in my career. I can’t wait for that day to come soon!
Outside of cricket, Bavuma is a strong proponent of blood cancer awareness and stem cell research. He is an advocate for more extensive donor registration, especially for patients of color, who tend to have a harder time finding compatible matches. His resolve to push this issue became even stronger after he met with a 14-year-old boy who is currently fighting blood cancer.
Bavuma’s journey has overall been a story of overcoming adversity with resilience. He remembers a frustrating few seasons at the beginning of his Test career until he picked up his first hundred. When I scored the hundred, it didn’t really dispel that,” he said, looking back on the continued criticism he receives.
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