Exclusive: Proteas Skipper Temba Bavuma in Race Against Time to Prove Fitness for Pakistan Tests

With the Pakistan Test series starting on October 12, Temba Bavuma has revealed it will be a race against time to prove his fitness.

Bavuma sustained a calf injury on September 7 in the third One-Day International (ODI) against England in Southampton.

With the first Test just under a month away, Bavuma said his medical team predicted he would need four weeks of rehabilitation for a calf strain, which was confirmed by scans last week.

It means Bavuma will likely only potentially be fit by the start of the first Test, and not before.

Grade 2 Calf Strain Update and Pakistan Test Series Preparation

“Calf is a little bit sore at the moment. I started my rehab this week. So I got the results. I got back on Tuesday, from the UK I went for the scan on Wednesday. It’s a Grade 2 calf strain. I guess it’s just back to the drawing board again,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview. 

“I’ll try to do as much work as I can. Obviously I have Pakistan [Test series] so I’ll try to work my ass off to be in any good enough physical state."

“That’s what I’ll be working towards. The medical team is still putting together the whole rehab program and all of that. I think it’s about four weeks. We’re just under four weeks until the first game.”

Bavuma, though, said he and his team would do everything they could to speed up his recovery.

“We'll obviously leave a week before. So I think we've got three weeks left for me to prove my fitness. But yeah, I'll try as much as I can."

“I’m sure the guys will also consider other medical interventions, hyperbaric chambers, PRP treatments and all that stuff."

“But yeah, that'll be the plan to be as fit as I can be for the Pakistan series.”

Dewald Brevis’s Record-Breaking SA20 Auction Sale

While Bavuma is in the midst of his recovery, it also allowed him to watch last week’s SA20 Auction where his young Proteas teammate Dewald Brevis was sold for a completion record of R16.5 million to the Pretoria Capitals. 

“I don't think anyone was really surprised to be honest, especially amongst the team. I think the boy has been a sensation. Look at his performances the last couple of months. I think as well he's shown a lot of growth in his game. As a human, [there’s] no better person, very lovely guy,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.co.za.

“He’s a bit of a jokester within the team. We're kind of getting used to him from that perspective. Obviously a wonder kid with the bat, not much that I really need to say from that side."

“He's 22 now. I think he's got another 10 years at least. So I think when he's done with cricket, he'll be alright when he's done, financially.”

Aiden Markram’s Record-Breaking Sale 

Just 12 minutes before Brevis was sold, Aiden Markram had set a new competition record sale of R14 million when he was sold to the Durban Super Giants. When asked if there would be some banter between the two players who passed the money baton, Bavuma said there would be no such thing.

“Knowing Aiden, Aiden’s quite humble about those types of things. Look, I wasn’t with the guys when the auction was happening. I was back. I’m sure the guys will be teasing each other. I’m sure Brevis and Aiden would have been the ones who were paying for the dinners and the drinks now on the tour."

“But yeah, knowing Aiden is quite humble about it, but also well deserved, you know, for Aiden."

“He had a cracker of an IPL season, the previous one, also in a new role as well as an opener. And it looks like that’s going to be his thing."

“I think it’s quite a revelation for him because Aiden started as an opener, when he came into the national team."

“Domestically he started, as an opener. At some point, internationally, he went on as a middle-order. Of course, because the guy is talented, he’ll be able to adapt his game. But now, he’s going back to where it started. There’s no more deserving for those two guys.”

Bavuma’s Unsold Status at SA20

One of the talking points at the SA20 was the fact that Bavuma had gone unsold for the second season in a row. With his playing opportunities in the shortest format becoming more limited these days, Bavuma said it was not a major shock but there was definitely a hint of disappointment in his response.

“Not surprised. Last year I also went unsold. I was speaking to my missus about it, and I thought even for me, I kind of struggle, if I put it that way, to get playing opportunities."

“In the last couple of years, I’ve thrown my hat into the county circuit as well. And nothing has come about there. I mean, I know that’s a different format. It’s red-ball cricket. But I think with the performances I’ve put in, especially in that space over the last four to five years, being one of the leading run scorers, not just in the country, internationally, in the top five, top 10 within the ICC rankings. I guess you would think an opportunity would come from that, would come there."

“But not surprised. These opportunities are kind of hard to come by. But yeah, I’m sure it will be fun for the players who will be involved," he concluded.