Updated on: Dec 02, 2025 05:forty eight pm IST
Despite shedding the first ODI by 17 runs, Temba Bavuma expressed self belief in South Africa’s capacity to compete against India.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has downplayed the sense of novelty in going thru an Indian facet featuring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, announcing their presence is nothing abnormal to the Proteas, given how prolonged both contain dominated global cricket.
Sooner than the second ODI in Raipur, Bavuma reflected on the longevity of India’s senior stars, recalling that he used to be restful a schoolboy when he first watched Rohit in action all the procedure thru the 2007 T20 World Cup. “We performed against Rohit… I contemplate it used to be in 2007, the T20 World Cup. I was restful in college then,” he told journalists in Raipur prior to the second ODI.
Kohli’s 52nd ODI hundred and Rohit’s soundless 57 had establish of residing up India’s 17-flee salvage in the hole ODI, giving the guests a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Bavuma admitted that the duo’s trip and skill enhance India but wired that South Africa are now not daunted.
“The inclusion of these two guys bolsters the crew. Take care of we acknowledged originally of the series, these are two guys who contain plenty of trip and plenty of skill and that can perchance handiest earnings the crew.”It is not something that we are not aware of,” Bavuma told the media ahead of South Africa’s training session at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Stadium.
“These guys have been around, so there is nothing new. These are world-class players,” he said. “We’ve been on the bad end of it, but we’ve also had good times against them. It all just makes the series a lot more exciting.”
Bavuma heaped praise on Marco Jansen, whose 39-ball 70 took South Africa to the brink of a victory in the first ODI.
“From an all-rounder point of view, I don’t know where the rankings sit (but) I am sure Marco Jansen, in any one of the formats will definitely be in a top 10. His contributions, with bat (or) with the ball (and) sometimes even both, they have been immense to our success,” he said.
Bavuma added that despite India’s veterans stepping up, his team were not far off in the series opener. He expressed confidence that the Proteas could bounce back, noting the narrow margin of defeat as proof that they remain competitive even against India’s most established match-winners.
