"We as black African cricketers accept if....": South Africa skipper Bavuma ahead of WTC final

London [UK], June 9 : Ahead of his side's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, South African skipper Temba Bavuma said that he does not get carried away by emotions about responsibility of leading his side to the title clash and as a black player, he has accepted that harsh criticism would follow if he does not score.
Bavuma would be playing the biggest Test of his life, aiming to win the first-ever world title for his country during the WTC final against Australia at Lord's from June 11. There is plenty of excitement he is experiencing. The team does not consist of big-time superstars, but is a determined lot of youth and veterans alike. Bavuma has plenty of responsibility on his shoulders, as a win could shift the Test cricket power-axis from the 'Big Three' (India, England and Australia) to include Proteas as well.
Despite such stakes associated with the match, Bavuma is not emotional about it, saying as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "I do not allow myself to get caught up in all the emotion about it, because I guess I know there are a lot more important and bigger things out there. I have accepted what comes with being in the presence of the national team. There is good that comes with that, and there is the negative that comes with it."
In South Africa, sport has always been more than a game, often used as a political tool in support of or against the apartheid regime. Now, it provides optimism and hopes to a diverse nation which has its share of problems, both socially and economically.
Bavuma, in his Test journey of over a decade, as the first black batter for South Africa, has faced a lot of ups and downs. A magnificent century against England in Cape Town back in 2016 attached to him plenty of expectations.
"The first time I really came across that [the bigger responsibility of being a black African player in the South African team] was when I scored my first international hundred," he said.
"At that point, I was not super clued up about transformation and all of that, and when it was introduced at that moment, I struggled to accept it. A couple of years later, I see the positivity in it, but I also see how the narrative kept following me through the good and the bad of my career," he added.
In 63 Tests so far, Bavuma has scored 3,606 runs at an average of 37.95, with four centuries and 24 fifties, with the best score of 172 after 108 innings. In this ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle, Bavuma has scored 609 runs in seven Tests at an average of 60.90, with two centuries and four fifties. His best score is 113.
Bavuma, playing in a team which has quota for black players and conversations about race are a big part of cricket, has accepted that discussions about race cannot be avoided.
"I am not emotional about it. We as black African cricketers accept if we do not score in two or three games, you are going to be called certain names. You accept that even if you do well, there will be people who will be questioning why you are in the team or why you are leading the team," he said.
"The bigger responsibility is to try and carry yourself with dignity so that other black players who are batters, who hopefully also become leaders, do not see it as a burden being within the Proteas team. I do not think that is really going to change," he added.
South Africa squad for WTC final: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy.