Temba, The Warrior Of Hope in South African Cricket

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June 15, 2025 00:55 IST

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For the world, it is another victory of a cricket team, but for all those Black South Africans, who suffered during apartheid, this comes as a sweet redemption.

Temba

IMAGE: Temba Bavuma celebrates with the World Test Championship Mace after the win over Australia in the final at Lord's on Saturday. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

Never ask Temba Bavuma 'what's there in a name'!

They have trolled him for his pre-captaincy batting average, body-shamed him, resorted to name calling but for Bavuma, the new World Test champion captain from South Africa, it was all in the name.

The name 'Temba' given by his grandmother means 'Hope' in Zulu.

Just like his name, Temba never gave up on hope, that one day, the Proteas as a nation will be on top of the world at his dream ground -- Lord's.

Just as Kyle Verreynne hit the winning runs, Temba covered his face with his palms even as others around him jumped for joy.

He perhaps wanted to hide his moistened eyes or did not want to choke up like teammate Keshav Maharaj, after leading South Africa to its first ICC trophy in 27 years.

The first-ever Black Captain to win a global trophy for the Rainbow Nation -- probably the brightest colour in the VIBGYOR, the man, all of 63 inches vertically towered over an Australian team that has 10 ICC trophies.

For the world, it is another victory of a cricket team, but for all those Black South Africans, who suffered during apartheid, it comes as a sweet redemption.

They would have felt on top of the world seeing their 'Little Big Man' walking through that Lord's Long Room, entering the field, carrying himself with utmost grace as he lifted the Golden Mace.

When the next chapter of South Africa's social history in the post-apartheid era will be written, Temba , Kagiso Rabada, and Lungi Ngidi's names will be enshrined in gold. That will also feature Indian-origin players like Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy besides white South Africans like Aiden Markram, David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs.

Temba

IMAGE: When Temba Bavuma was appointed the captain of South Africa, there were murmurs questioning his capacity to be at the helm. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

"Here's an opportunity for us as a nation, divided as we are, to unite. You can be rest assured we'll celebrate as one," Temba told Nasser Hussain during presentation.

From the lanes of black-dominated Langa in Cape Town to the tavern around St John's Wood in upscale London, everyday for past 25 years, Bavuma has had a point to prove.

First, he is good enough to play the game at the top level. That he can represent South Africa at the international level. And even better, he can lead an eclectic mix of talent with poise and percipience that many could not have foreseen when he took over from Dean Elgar few years back.

"In Langa we had a four-way street. On the right-hand side of the street the tar wasn't done so nicely and we used to call it Karachi because the ball would bounce funny.

"The other side was the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) but my favourite section of the street was clean, and done up nicely, and we called it Lord's because it just looked better. So, as a kid of 10, I already had that dream of playing at Lord's," he had recently told the 'Guardian' before the World Test Championship final.

By the age of 11, Temba was on a sports scholarship after being identified as a special talent. As a sixth grader, he had once written an essay that found its pride of place in a school magazine.

"I see myself in fifteen years in my suit and shaking (then SA president Thabo) Mr Mbeki's hand congratulating me for making the South African side," sixth-grader Temba, wrote in his submission.

"If I do, I would definitely thank my coaches and parents who support me all the way and especially my two uncles who gave me the skills of being one (a Proteas representative)," he always knew what he wanted.

In exactly 15 years, he was playing for South Africa.

Temba showed the world that with enough hard work, never-say-die attitude and a little bit of luck, any dream can be achieved.

Temba

IMAGE: Temba Bavuma receives medical attention after pulling his hamstring during the third day of the WTC final against Australia on Friday. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Reuters

Ask anyone how it feels to play with a torn hamstring! Temba wasn't able to run the quick twos and threes and even head coach Shukri Conrad didn't want him to continue.

"To be honest, a lot of it came from him. He's led us from the front for the last two-three years. He didn't want to walk off the field yesterday, found a way to score really important runs, played an innings lot of people will remember," said hero of the final Aiden Markram.

When he was appointed the captain, there were voices down the corridors of South African cricket establishment that raised questions if he deserved to be at the helm.

His batting average was hovering around 30s then, but with a game built on copious amount of patience and grit, he proved his naysayers wrong in no time. Temba now averages over 57 in Tests!

But more than his on-field achievements, what makes him an endearing human being is the way he carries himself off the field. 

An advocate of inclusivity, he never had any ill feelings when Quinton de Kock refused to support the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. But in the last three years, he has shown how to take everyone along -- the Blacks, the Whites and the Coloured.

"The biggest word for me is inclusiveness, and guys are seeking excellence in everything they do. We are pushing each other, we are pushing the boundaries and we are trying to get better and better. There's openness in the team," he had told ESPN Cricinfo in an interview.

 

Temba runs a foundation which helps underprivileged children get education and chance to excel at sport like he did. He lives a quiet and peaceful life with his wife Phila Lobi and their child.

But whenever he has had to take a stance, he has always done that and made the right noises. 

Temba Bavuma is certainly an incredible captain on the field but more so a towering leader off it.

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