'Hopefully the gods can smile on me': Bavuma looks ahead to injury-free season

After recovering from another enforced period out with injury, Temba Bavuma has taken delight from the little things.

Strapping on pads, the scratch of Velcro as he’s donned his gloves, the sound and feel of the ball on his bat. 

He even appreciated being able to speak to the media again.

Bavuma is looking forward to leading the Proteas in the next few weeks as Test cricket, for once, takes centre stage, with a golden prize awaiting the South Africans should they be successful this summer. 

“Mentally I’m quite fresh and excited to have the opportunity to play again, to put on the pads and to run around the field,” said the South African captain.

“From a skills perspective, you have to build that confidence, feel yourself hitting the ball out of the middle and making sure you’re moving the way that you want.”

The last few years have been frustrating for Bavuma, whose body has not been kind to him.

From hamstrings, to broken fingers and two elbow ailments — the latest picked up while diving to make his ground in an ODI in Sharjah — the 34-year-old has been unable to build any rhythm. 

So it’s understandable that amid the excitement, he is choosing to tread warily as he makes his latest comeback.

“When you’re injured, after the rehab process it can be tough at the start ... it’s about getting over the mental demons and getting into a space where you accept what is happening, and you try to deal with it,” said Bavuma.

“It has been a tricky couple of weeks. As much as the guys played as well as they did (in Bangladesh), it was quite frustrating from my side not to be able to take part. I don’t know what the next few weeks and months look like.

“I will try to prepare as much as I can from a physical and mental point of view, and hopefully the gods can smile on me a little longer.” 

In Bavuma’s absence, Aiden Markram led South Africa to a first Test series win on the subcontinent in 10 years in Bangladesh, thrusting them back into contention in the World Test Championship. 

Sri Lanka, who the Proteas face in two Tests, will provide a significant hurdle in the pursuit of a spot in next year’s WTC final, which will be played at Lords. 

Currently holding onto third spot on the WTC table, the Sri Lankans also harbour ambitions of qualifying for the Lord’s finale and are so serious about their chances of doing so, that they sent a group of nine batters to South Africa two weeks ago, to start their preparation for the series. 

“We are under no illusions that these will be easy games,” said Bavuma. 

Though Sri Lanka lost a three-match series in England earlier this year, they managed a vital win in the third Test at the Oval, and then trounced New Zealand in two Tests in Galle, before the Kiwis stunned India.

Kamindu Mendis has been a star for them this year with the bat scoring five centuries, only one fewer than the Proteas have managed collectively in 2024.

Sri Lanka’s captain Dhananjaya de Silva has scored three hundreds as well, while their bowling unit is well rounded, with seamers like Asitha Fernando’s nagging accuracy certain to earn reward in South African conditions.

Their leading wicket-taker this year is left arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who has taken 39 wickets.

“Spin is one of their strengths and we understand that threat, and they have seamers who can bowl ‘magic balls’,” said Bavuma.

He added that his side’s focus would be on applying their own philosophy and style, which has brought them three wins on the trot.

“Against the West Indies we were a little ‘soft’ in terms of our skill, especially the batters. But in Bangladesh we saw the guys who got in, went on to produce match-winning performances. We want to see more of the same in this series.”