After completing a historic 2-0 whitewash over India, Temba Bavuma-led South Africa will be looking to overhaul the Men in Blue in the 50-over format. Ahead of the first ODI on Sunday, November 30, in the three-match
series, the diminutive cricketer explained how the energy in the contest between two cricketing giants will intensify with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning.
Bavuma mentioned that the Proteas will have specific plans in place to thwart the two former Indian captains. He also stated that his team is ready for the challenge lined up for them during the high-voltage three-match series.
“I think it’s exciting for the locals, having the two living legends come back and play on Indian soil for a while. There’s a different type of energy when those two big guys are around, so it’s something that we’ll really be looking forward to," Bavuma told Star Sports.
“Like with any other players, we’ll do our preparation around them and come up with whatever tactics we feel are necessary. We know the energy is going to be a bit different, but it’s an exciting one," he added.
From a captaincy point of view, nothing really changes for us: Bavuma
Out of the 55 ODIs South Africa have played in the country, they have won 31, lost 23, and had one no-result. Apart from this, the positive campaign in the Test series will also give South Africa a lot of confidence. Bavuma, who has received praise for his leadership acumen, said that his approach to captaincy will remain unchanged regardless of the scale of the occasion and the quality of the opposition.
“From a captaincy point of view, nothing really changes for us. You want to lead with the bat and then lead the guys tactically on the field. That stays the same," Bavuma said.
The first ODI is set to be played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex on Sunday. Meanwhile, the last two contests will be hosted in Raipur and Vishakhapatnam on December 3 and 6, respectively.
