Temba Bavuma Makes History As The First Player In 148 Years To Achieve A Stunning Feat As Skipper

A historic win was accomplished by the Temba Bavuma-led South African side at Eden Gardens, as they triumphed over India by 30 runs in the opening Test match. This was a long-awaited Test victory for South Africa in India after 15 years. India, while chasing a target of 124, were all out for 93.

The Indian batting order was already under pressure with Shubman Gill’s neck spasm preventing him from playing. The pitch was difficult, and South Africa’s spinner Simon Harmer was the one who really made a difference on the wicket, taking four at a time in the second innings and breaking India’s chase completely.

Early wickets by Marco Jansen, among them Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, to mention but two, really set the mood for South Africa’s victory. Harmer’s 8-wicket haul was the key to that victory, and he ended up being named the player of the match.

Temba Bavuma entered his name in the history books on Sunday:

Temba Bavuma’s triumph in Kolkata was a watershed moment, as he became the first South African captain in 15 years to win a Test match in India. The Proteas had endured a total of seven Test matches in India during that period, with the only victory being a single one and the rest indicating a complete domination over them with one-sided results. Graeme Smith was the last South African captain to get a Test win in India back in 2010 when he led his team to triumph by an innings and six runs in Nagpur.

The last South African captain who won a Test match at Eden Gardens was Hansie Cronje, who, in 1996, defeated India by a margin of 329 runs. South Africa had Test matches scheduled at the historic venue in 2004 and 2010 but lost on both occasions. Temba’s guidance has played a crucial role in the African continent’s success, with the Proteas winning 10 out of 11 Test matches already played under his captaincy.

Bavuma’s unbeaten record continues in red-ball cricket, as he already led South Africa to the World Test Championship title earlier this year. This year’s victory in Kolkata is indicative of their powerful and resolute nature and they will be looking to further uplift this momentum in the next Test series.