Temba Bavuma: South Africa's sturdy, stoic, serious survivor

Who would keep wicket in the first Test at Eden Gardens, which starts on Friday, Bavuma was asked. That's despite Conrad having made clear when the squad was named last month that Kyle Verreynne would be behind the stumps.

Now, South Africa's captain is an earnest man. In public at least. He takes pressers seriously, treats journalists respectfully, and offers thoughtful answers to their questions. Like he did during the Delhi Test in November 2015 when he described batting in the company of more close-in fielders than there were men in the outfield as "part of the theatre of Test cricket".

Even so, at least one publication - a website in South Africa - dutifully wrote up Verreynne's supposed axing. The story was taken down when the error was brought to the site's attention.

Bavuma has come a long way in other senses since that 2015 Delhi match, his fifth Test. Friday's will be his 65th, the last 10 of them as captain.

When he succeeded Dean Elgar a criticism was that he hadn't made the most of his starts. He had reached 50 in 20 innings, but gone on to make a century only once. That wasn't good enough for a frontline Test batter, even considering he often took guard with South Africa in trouble and steered them out of it.

Bavuma's captaincy tenure didn't start well for him; he fell victim to a pair in his first Test at the helm, against West Indies in Centurion in February 2023. But matters have improved - he has since made three hundreds in 15 innings, along with three efforts north of 70 and two of 66. Leadership can turn players into the finest version of themselves.

"He's our best player," Conrad said on Wednesday. It's an argument that could have been made about Bavuma before his elevation to the captaincy. Since he made his debut, against West Indies at St George's Park in December 2014, none of South Africa's active Test players have scored more runs than his 3,708. None have had more innings during his career than his 110 - Kagiso Rabada has had the same number - but there is a stoic sturdiness to Bavuma that makes South Africa's supporters breathe more easily when he walks to the crease.

Most importantly, South Africa have yet to lose a Test under him. In the most recent of them, against Australia at Lord's in June, Bavuma went where, among South Africa's captains, only Hansie Cronje had gone before - to a podium to fetch a trophy for winning a senior ICC tournament. In Cronje's case it was the cup for the 1998 ICC Knockout, the forerunner of the Champions Trophy. In Bavuma's it was the WTC mace.

He was, in that match, and as ever, Bavuma the brave battler, batting through the pain of a strained hamstring to score 66 and share 147 in a crucial second-innings stand with Aiden Markram. What had that triumph done for South Africa?

"It doesn't really change anything from our point of view, but from a confidence point of view it's a case of us walking proudly with that badge and being known as the champions," Bavuma said.

"There's been a lot more appreciation and love shown towards the team, and to individuals within the team. Personally there's a lot more appreciation for my presence in the team."

"Not much can trump that," Bavuma said. "But second to that would be winning in India. It's something we haven't been able to do for the longest time."

Not since Nagpur in February 2010, when South Africa won by an innings and six runs thanks to Hashim Amla's undefeated 253, Jacques Kallis' 173 and Dale Steyn's match haul of 10/108. Not even centuries by Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar could save the Indians. South Africa's only series win in India was even longer ago - in February and March 2000.

"As a captain, it's always felt as if it's a process of discovery. You're always learning more about yourself. You start off with maybe an understanding as to how you want to go about things, but as time goes by and things happen and you work with different coaching, you evolve. I'm a lot more comfortable in my own skin now.

"There's no case of having to prove to myself, prove to the players or prove to people back home that I'm deserving of the title. The results that we've achieved speak for themselves. The type of reaction I get from the players also speaks for itself.

"Criticism isn't going to go away. For as long as you're in these types of positions the magnifying glass is going to be on you. That's something you accept.

"You have ambitions and expectations, but you also know that life can happen. Cricket can happen. You come against opposition who are as good as you are, and on their day they can show you up."

On other days you win. On still other days you make a joke, and people think you're being serious. It isn't easy being Temba Bavuma. It also isn't boring.

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