Johannesnburg - The captains of international cricket teams get dealt very tricky hands, regardless of the length of their tenure.
Perhaps New Zealand among all the major nations seems to have it easiest and even the Black Caps had a lot of drama some years back involving Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum.
Very rarely in other sports are captains under such scrutiny for selection (even though there is a panel of people picking teams), decisions at the toss, field placings and when to use a particular bowler.
And then there is the captain’s own form, which when poor, leads to sleepless nights. There has understandably been a lot of debate around Temba Bavuma since the end of South Africa’s T20 series against Ireland and England. There Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks, very strongly staked claims for spots at the top of the order, while Bavuma was absent through injury.
Convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang continued to back Bavuma, even after that series, but when asked at the T20 World Cup squad announcement whether he would be willing to axe Bavuma at the T20 World Cup if he didn’t find form before then, Mpitsang said he didn’t know.
Well he had better know now, because that question is right back in front of him.
And while that is the case, Bavuma is also deserving of a great deal of sympathy.
Bavuma has also had the emotional toll of not getting picked for the new SA20; he is captain of the one-day team that is struggling to qualify automatically for the World Cup in that format next year and which is likely to have to play a home ODI series against the current World Cup holders (England) without many of his senior players because the SA20 –that he wasn’t picked for – is on at the same time.
It’s hard not to feel sorry for Bavuma. SA cricket is facing a difficult period – again – as it seeks to keep the Proteas relevant from a global perspective, while attempting to create financial stability.
For all the excitement and hype around the SA20 – most importantly that it will generate the much-needed finance for the sport locally – the national side remains critical and its success, whatever the format, is paramount.
The Proteas could do with easing some of the demands on Bavuma.
The next few weeks are crucial for him personally and for the team as a whole.
Regardless of feelings about whether he should start or not, he remains a vital cog inside the group, particularly from the perspective of leadership.
Because of the “winning is all that matters” nature of professional sport, it can be easy to forget the human element.
Bavuma deserves respect and he could certainly do with a bit of good luck going his way at some point.