Stressing that top Test sides have been forced to sit up and take notice of him, former India captain Anil Kumble said Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma is richly deserving of many more plaudits than go his way.
“Credit to Temba Bavuma—he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as a captain,’ Kumble told the Cricket Live show on JioHotstar. Referring to his stellar early record as captain, which includes South Africa’s first massive ICC title, Kumble said, “He has won 10 out of 11 Test matches as skipper for South Africa and has won a (World) Test Championship for them. He doesn’t get the kind of credit other international captains receive. As a batter, too, he has produced two quality innings, one in the WTC final and one here, literally back-to-back since he wasn’t available for Pakistan. He has done exceptionally well both as a player and a skipper.”
Nothing signified Bavuma’s masterful captaincy than the bowling changes, though some might say his gritty 55 singularly proved the difference between the two sides. But with Axar Patel running away with the game, with a couple of sixes, Bavuma did well to call up his deputy, Aiden Markram, just like in the WTC finals. At Kolkata it helped to dislodge India’s left handed ploy, especially after Washington Sundar had negotiated Simon Harmer.
“I thought he did really well in bringing on Aiden Markram when there were two left-handers at the crease. Washington Sundar had a good look at Simon Harmer and seemed comfortable. And maybe that one over from Keshav Maharaj, I felt that was where he got the wrong bowler on, because Axar was certainly taking him on. But he took a gamble that ultimately paid off. It cost South Africa 16 runs, but it paid off. Overall, I thought his usage of bowlers was excellent. He never used Wiaan Mulder at all in the innings. He ensured that the tall Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, and the two spinners along with the smart use of Markram were enough,” Kumble said.
The former leggie said Shubman Gill&s absence was a dampener for India. “I think the conditions were certainly something that the South Africans used to their advantage. India didn’t quite come up trumps once again on a surface that assisted both spin and fast bowling. There was a lot of up-and-down movement on that wicket, and it wasn’t easy to bat on. South Africa did really well. After bowling India out for 159 in the first innings, I thought India should have certainly scored more. But the handicap of the skipper not being able to bat in both innings certainly hampered India. With one batter short on a wicket that was aiding the bowlers, it was never going to be easy,” he said.
However Kumble also believed India were overawed by the pitch. “I felt South Africa batted brilliantly, led by their skipper, and he was well supported by the bowlers. India, I thought, were a bit too overawed by the pitch and conditions. That took precedence over simply watching the ball and playing. I know it wasn’t easy, but Washington Sundar showed that you could hang around, and Axar Patel also showed there were runs available. Temba Bavuma showed that you can apply yourself. It was just a matter of application and India eventually succumbed to the pressure.”
On whether 123 could have been chased by India, Kumble noted, “A target of 123 was a bit too much. When the day started, South Africa were 63 for 7—and that was the lead. Temba Bavuma was still there. But having spread-out fields and not giving the first over to your best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, was questionable. All three wickets that fell were to the fast bowlers. Overall, India were certainly outdone by South Africa,” Kumble ended.
