Temba Bavuma says South Africa have their own fire for Australia this time

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma believes Australia remains one of the toughest opponents in Test cricket even though the character of the team has changed over the past few years. The Proteas will open their three-match series against Australia on October 9 at the Kingsmead in Durban, with both teams currently occupying the top two spots in the World Test Championship rankings.

But for Bavuma, playing in Australia means more than facing a group of individual cricketers. The rivalry itself brings another competitive edge, something he expects to be evident when the first Test begins on Friday. In their last bilateral series, South Africa lost 0–2 in Australia in 2022–23 and this time we will look for a better performance.

“When you play against Australia, you’re not just playing against these individuals, you’re playing against what it means to be Australian,” Bavuma told Cricinfo. “It’s always a clash we look forward to. It tends to at least highlight the competitive edge of both teams. We have a strong desire to get the better of them.”

“They’re not as straightforward. They still play their cricket hard. They still have guys like Travis Head at the top who try to put you under pressure. And then they still have that quartet of bowling attacks which always puts you under pressure. But they’re probably not as brash and in your face as I remember in 2016 when we were uncomfortable.”

“They haven’t lost much from a cricketing point of view. It’s still as tough as the Australia we know.

SOUTH AFRICA TRANSLATES TRUST

Bavuma feels the biggest change is not necessarily in Australia, but in South Africa. The Proteas have forged a stronger identity and more confidence after a string of impressive results, including their historic Test series win in India and their Test World Cup triumph over Australia at Lord’s last year.

This success also gave South Africa the confidence to respond to Australia’s intensity rather than simply absorb it. The Proteas captain believes his side now has its own voice and is comfortable engaging in the competitive banter traditionally associated with Australia.

“South Africans also have their own character. We’re also not afraid to throw in a few chirps and be part of the banter. You really don’t want to miss that. That’s just part of the spectacle if it’s all above average. You look forward to it,” Bavuma said.

The series will also immediately test South Africa’s depth. Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of the opening tournament in Durban as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, while Anrich Nortje returns to Test cricket for the first time since March 2023. South Africa have also selected two spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, for the opening Test.

NEW TEST CHALLENGE

The opening on October 9 is particularly significant for South Africa, who are playing their first Test at home since he became world champion. Bavuma wants them to celebrate the occasion with the home fans, but knows the priority will be a win against an Australian side still looking to pick up points in the crucial WTC cycle.

Australia are also set to play their first Test series in South Africa since the infamous 2018 Sandpaper scandal that unfolded during the Newlands Test in Cape Town. The Proteas have a chance to move to No. 1 in the WTC points table if they beat Australia in the series.

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