Temba Bavuma to miss second Test against Bangladesh
“We just feel medically he’s not going to be ready for the second Test,” South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad said from Dhaka. “We will tone down the [rehabilitation] programme so that he can be ready for the Sri Lankan series.”
It has not yet been decided if Bavuma will stay with the squad in Bangladesh or return home to continue his recovery and play domestic red-ball cricket. The first-class competition begins next week, and Bavuma’s team, Lions, will play three matches before the first Test against Sri Lanka begins.
“I’d like him to stay [in Bangladesh], and I’ve communicated that with him,” Conrad said. “But I also know that he’s got a young family. But yes, I’d like him to stay. He still plays a valuable role. It’s still his team. We’ll see how it unfolds.”
South Africa’s win in Mirpur has kept them in the hunt for a place in the World Test Championship final. They have five Tests remaining in this cycle, starting with the Chattogram Test before two each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. On paper and historical form, South Africa will go into all of those matches as favourites but Conrad is being careful not to get too carried away.
“We know that there’s some hard graft that’s going to have to be done along the way. That first Test match was the first one that we needed to put in the hard graft. We’re certainly not going to be looking to sit on our lead and we’re certainly not going to bask in the glory of that victory too much. Tomorrow, we go to Chattogram and we know that’s going to be really tough, and we’re going to have to play particularly good cricket. If we get a great result there, then great, and then we move on to Sri Lanka.
“The World Test Championship is our World Cup but we are not going to be building any sandcastles, we’re certainly not going to have any pie in the sky but you’ve got to allow yourself to dream as well. And then give yourself the chance of realising that dream. But it’s going to take a lot of graft, and we’re a long way away from that still.”
South Africa are currently fourth on the WTC points table and must win at least four of their remaining five Tests to have a chance of making the final.
Aiden Markram (capt), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne
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