‘I’m Easy Wherever I Fit In’: Bavuma Stays Flexible Ahead of Crucial Second ODI

Temba Bavuma returns to lead South Africa’s ODI squad in a do-or-die game in India. The captain is yet to decide on his batting role, with the team continuing to experiment with various combinations of the top-order. Due to sickness, Bavuma was not present in the first ODI. South Africa opened, in that match, with a more recent pairing, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, with Quinton de Kock coming in at the number three position.

The side might revert to the more seasoned line-up of de Kock and Bavuma, given the importance of the match. Their history as a team is good. Markram and Rickelton have opened together 7 times and have scored 306 runs, averaging 43.71. By comparison, since 2016, the 2nd best opening pair in South Africa, de Kock and Bavuma, have accumulated more than 1,000 runs in 19 innings at an average of 56.42.

Bavuma Open to Batting Anywhere in the Top Three

On the eve of the 2nd ODI, Bavuma remained open-minded about his spot in the lineup.

"Where I fit in, generally being in that top three, I'm easy whichever way is best for the team, as long as I'm still contributing," he said in Raipur after a lengthy net session confirming his return to fitness.

"At the moment, it's about creating depth. There is versatility in that guys who generally bat at the top of their order have been used in the middle. In this team, a guy like Matthew Breetzke, who generally sees himself at the top in one-day cricket, but he's doing that job more than well now at No.4. A guy like Tony (de Zorzi), he's getting that opportunity to bat at five."

With Heinrich Klaasen retired, Tristan Stubbs dropped, and David Miller absent from this ODI squad, South Africa has essentially built a top five made up entirely of players who usually open in domestic cricket. Dewald Brevis slotting in at No.6 continues that trend. Rubin Hermann, the only reserve batter, is also primarily a top-order player. Bavuma explained why they have stacked the squad with top-three specialists.

"Going back to South Africa, there's always that element of batsmanship that you need. I know there's a big craze about guys hitting sixes in the middle order, but you need a little bit of batsmanship. A guy like Tony, he has the characteristics," Bavuma said.

"I guess now it's just to keep putting on the performances to justify why he should do that."

De Zorzi has made 688 runs from 21 ODIs at an average of 36.21 with a strike rate under 100. Strong against spin and capable of building an innings, he is seen more as an anchor than a power-hitter, something the coaching staff believes they will need, especially in subcontinental conditions and while preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup at home.

South Africa Treating This as a Crucial Experiment Phase

South Africa will host only nine ODIs after this series. The World Cup is nearly two years away, and according to the FTP, South Africa will play only nine ODIs before the World Cup. That figure may vary, but the team takes the existing window as an essential opportunity to experiment.

"Every game we play now is a big lead-up opportunity. It's about filling in the gaps with guys who have left," Bavuma said.

"Especially from a resource point of view, we want to make sure if we do have a situation where one of our main bowlers is out, that we do have young guys to step in. We're seeing guys like Nandre Burger, who are putting up their hands. So, creating depth and then seeing where guys can be filling in those roles."

Kagiso Rabada was unavailable to participate in the series; thus, Nandre Burger led the attack in the first ODI, which was supported by Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, and Marco Jansen. Lungi Ngidi is also included in the squad and is expected to feature later in the series, though for now, South Africa seems to be leaning towards all-rounders. Bosch and Jansen played a major role in the first ODI chase of 350 at Ranchi, and their talents could help them remain in the team.

Marco Jansen Continues to Rise Across Formats

Jansen, in particular, has had a standout tour of India, becoming central to South Africa’s balance across formats.

"I don't know where the rankings sit, but I'm sure Marco Jansen in any one of those formats will definitely be in the top 10. His contributions with the bat, with the ball, sometimes even both, have been immense to our success. Marco is still a young guy, but he's had a lot of international cricket that is under his belt, and he's only growing into his own, and he's becoming a lot more comfortable in his skin."

Jansen, who made 93 runs and took seven wickets in the Guwahati Test, currently sits sixth on the ICC Test all-rounder rankings but 35th in ODIs. His effort in Ranchi 70 off 39 and 2 for 76 could mark the beginning of his rise up the limited-overs charts as well.