Eden Gardens was not the first place where Temba Bavuma was called ‘bauna’ — the literal translation of which is dwarf. By his own admission, the epithets have followed him throughout his career, and some have cut deep.
Neither was Eden Gardens the first place where he found himself stranded alone on a treacherous wicket, with his team’s hopes clasped to his small-yet-stubborn frame. He has played in ‘Karachi’ before. No, not the Test in 2021.
Growing up in Langa, a township constructed with the purpose of serving as the Black labour pool for the white urban centres of Cape Town, Bavuma honed his craft on the streets. Each street was christened after an iconic cricket ground, determined by its behaviour. The one that had weird mischevious bounce, owing to the unevenly laid tar, was named Karachi.
Bavuma stood out then — earning him a scholarship at the esteemed South African College Schools (SACS) — an ambition that would have been unthinkably distant for most Black South African kids.
Bavuma stood out now — earning his team an invaluable Test win against India in India, after 15 years.
It Seems Impossible Until It Is Done
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir might have defended the pitch by claiming it did not have any demons, but it certainly had ghosts, for the highest individual score from the first innings of both teams was KL Rahul’s 39.
South Africa had scored 159 in the first innings, and India, despite a 57-run partnership between Rahul and Washington Sundar, could only 189 runs. In reply, South Africa were 93/7 at the end of Day 2, with their lead being of 63 runs. Axar Patel admitted the hosts would ideally prefer a chase south of 125.
With Bavuma the lone recognised batter, and the surface destined to fray even further on Day 3 — turning and twisting like the detective tales the City of Joy so delights in — adding 62 runs felt impossible.
But scoring a Test century seemed impossible for a Black South African, until Bavuma did so — against England in 2016.
Test captaincy seemed impossible for a Black South African, until Bavuma did so — against Pakistan in 2021.
Leading South Africa to an ICC title seemed impossible, until Bavuma did so — against Australia in 2025.
And now, becoming the fastest to lead his team to 10 wins seemed impossible, until Bavuma did so — against India, at Eden Gardens, today.
Journey Hasn't Been Easy
Having led South Africa in 11 Tests, Bavuma has orchestrated 10 victories. In hindsight, the decision to appoint him as the leader seems to be a masterstroke. But at the time, it drew a lot of flak. Ignominy and scepticism have long been stitched into the fabric of his career.
Ahead of the Test series, The Quint spoke with the South African Test skipper during the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai, where Mr Harsh Goenka, Chairman of the RPG Group, alongside former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar, honoured him with the ‘Exemplary Leadership Award’. Asked about carving out a place for himself amid the enduring scaffolding of racism, he said:
My journey is one I’m deeply grateful for, though it hasn’t been a simple or an easy one. When I first started playing international cricket, I was quite ignorant to a lot of things. Only once I was there did I begin to understand the lens through which I was being seen.Temba Bavuma
Breaking The Stereotype Of 'Blacks Can't Bat'
South Africa has had black cricketers before Bavuma. There have been the likes of Makhaya Ntini and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Yet, Bavuma’s predecessors were bowlers, owing to a systemic inculcation of the belief that batting is not for Blacks, for it involved a critical trait called ‘thinking.’ The Blacks were only good enough for the ‘labour’ work, that is, bowling.
I’m a Black African cricketer. That too, a black batsman. Not many people were familiar with a black batsman. Growing up, we were told that batting wasn’t for Black Africans because batting required thinking, which is why most of us were encouraged to bowl instead. As a young boy, you don’t fully grasp it, but you hear it, and you end up battling those narratives and prejudices. I was also told that, being small in stature, I’d never handle fast bowling or bounce. But I am just a boy who was crazy enough to believe in my own dreams.Temba Bavuma
'I Want To Keep Breaking Barriers'
Despite consistently being at the receiving end of hate — all of which is unjustified — Bavuma has proven to be impregnable, only because of the love he has for cricket.
Coming from the township, all I ever did was love the game. That love has carried me through. I don’t think I’m the most talented player, but I do believe my strength lies in character and self-belief. I hope my presence in the national side, and what we achieved at Lord’s, inspires change, shifts narratives, and makes things easier for other Black African players.Temba Bavuma
Looking ahead, Bavuma wants not only to add more ICC titles to his collection, but also chisel away at the structural prejudices that linger in cricket’s corridors.
I also don’t want to speak of my journey with bitterness. It is simply how the cookie crumbles. I was lucky to be mentally strong enough to endure it all. For South Africa, after 27 years of trying, reaching that final is a badge of honour I’ll always carry. But this isn’t the end. I want to keep breaking barriers, shifting mindsets, and leaving the game in a better place.Temba Bavuma
Stand Still, Rise Highest — The Temba Bavuma Way
Today, Bavuma scored 55 runs, while the entire Indian team — barring an injured Shubman Gill — could only muster up 93 runs. It was his 26 half-century in Test cricket, but among the most important. How could he do it? How could he master the art of spin batting, against the world’s most intimidating spin attack, featuring the trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, on a Day 3 Eden Gardens track that turned more than some of the leaders of this nation, how could he score 55?
At the post-match presentation, Bavuma said: I stood as still as I could.
And by standing still, the smallest man on the field rose highest, once again.