South Africa ended a 15-year wait for a Test victory in India with a thrilling 30-run victory in Kolkata, and captain Temba Bavuma’s clarity under pressure proved crucial to the result.
Bavuma’s defining moment came when he handed the ball to Keshav Maharaj against the left-handed Axar Patel in what would be the final of the match.
“Once the right-hander was exposed, I felt Keshav was the attacking option there. The decision remains a decision. It doesn’t change because of the way the other guy bats. There was a feeling behind it, so I never doubted the decision at any point.”
Axar launched two sixes, a chance was lost, after which Bavuma himself held the winning catch.
“There’s not much time to think in those moments. The ball went high. I just had to make sure I caught it.”
Bavuma’s 55 not out was also crucial to the victory. South Africa were 93 for 7 late on day three, but Bavuma said the message was simple and steady.
“My message was to play what is in front of you. Keep your nerve and keep believing that the result can still go our way. We knew that the most successful chase in this field had to be broken, and that gave us confidence.”
He and Corbin Bosch rebuilt the innings with a 44-run partnership with discipline rather than panic.
“The wicket was difficult yesterday, but this morning it calmed down. It would have been nice if Marco was still there, but the focus was on belief and partnership.”
Bavuma explained that his sweep shot, which frustrated the Indian spinners during his half-century, was a calculated tactic.
“The sweep is premeditated. It’s not always about boundaries. It’s a way to rotate the strike. You can’t just sit there and block. My choice is whether it’s a power sweep or a controlled one.”
Despite only defending 124, Bavuma said the Proteas refused to be overwhelmed by numbers.
“You need belief, disillusioned or not. It’s not every day that you score 124 and think it’s enough, but we saw what our bowlers did in the first innings. We knew we had a chance.”
He acknowledged that it gave South Africa a slim lead without India’s captain due to injury for most of the match, but stressed that the Proteas still had to hold their nerves in hostile conditions.
Batting and fielding in front of a roaring Indian crowd, the pressure was turned into fuel.
“It was crazy, but it gives you energy. As much as it excites India, it also has a positive impact on us. The conversation between the batters was simple: grow the partnership and find a way.”
Simon Harmer’s eight wickets were another turning point, with Bavuma praising his experience and skill.
“Simon has more than a thousand first-class wickets. He knows what he’s doing. He’s tall, he has a good ball flight, he controls his pace and he’s smart. His return to the team makes our attack much more formidable.”
An Indian expert suggested that South Africa had defeated India on its own. Bavuma agreed.
“It’s probably true. We expected spin-friendly wickets. It didn’t come as a surprise. As happy as we are, there are areas we can improve on. We want to come out better in the second Test.”
South Africa will go into their next match not only with a win, but with a captain who proved he could remain calm when his team needed belief.
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