New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma offered a poignant reflection on his cricketing career ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, as he prepares to lead his team at Lord’s — the very ground he once imagined from the dusty streets of Langa.

South Africa last faced Australia in a Test series in 2022-23, with the hosts running out 2-0 winners Down Under.

“There was always some sort of allegiance with Lord’s when we were growing up in Langa,” Bavuma told The Guardian. “On the right-hand side of the street the tar wasn’t done so nicely and we used to call it Karachi. The other side was the MCG. But my favourite section was clean and done up nicely, and we called it Lord’s because it just looked better. As a kid of 10, I already had that dream of playing at Lord’s.”

Now 35 and the first Black cricketer to captain South Africa in Test cricket, Bavuma carries not only the hopes of his team but the weight of a remarkable personal journey – one shaped by inequality, opportunity and perseverance.

From facing older boys in street cricket to navigating elite white institutions after earning a scholarship, Bavuma’s early years were filled with challenges.

“It was tough integrating within the system, learning and understanding the (white) culture,” he said of his time at SACS.

“But I had to learn about discipline and etiquette. I also had to learn confidence. Can you imagine taking a child from the township into a system where, basically, everything is there? There were always doubts. Am I good enough to be here?”

He remembers the contrast vividly — particularly when SACS played against Langa. “My friends from Langa would have huge plates at lunch. We’d laugh about it but… the Langa boy would be wondering when is he going to get another opportunity to eat food like that?”

Eventually, after moving to Johannesburg and joining St David’s — which recently named its cricket ground after him — Bavuma became “one of the boys,” confident and fluent in the environment. But cricket’s highest format remained a long, hard climb.

He became the first Black South African to score a Test century in 2016, but his second came only in 2023 — after taking over as Test captain. “The added responsibility, getting pushed up the order, is something I thrived on,” Bavuma said. “Most of all, I just understand my game and I don’t try playing like anyone else.”

Under Bavuma, South Africa had to win seven consecutive Tests to reach the final against Australia, starting on June 11, overcoming scheduling inequality, player unavailability and funding constraints.

–IANS

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