• Bavuma: I don’t choose if I become captain

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    Temba Bavuma admits others may decide for him whether he continues as Proteas white-ball captain.

    Bavuma cut a dejected figure upon the team’s arrival in Johannesburg from Australia on Wednesday.

    The Proteas suffered a shock 13-run defeat to the Netherlands in Adelaide on Sunday that cost them a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

    After winning the toss, Bavuma surprisingly chose to bowl first on a used pitch that got slower as the match progressed and the target of 159, set by a team ranked 17th in the world, proved too much.

    HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs Netherlands

    Bavuma struggled as a batsman in the tournament, scoring 70 runs in five matches, at an average of 17.50 and a strike rate 112.90. In 12 matches this year in the shortest format, he made 134 runs at an average of 13.40 and a strike rate of 95.71.

    On Wednesday, Bavuma reiterated that he wasn’t going to make any immediate decisions about his future.

    “To be honest, I haven’t thought that far about the next [ODI] World Cup [in India next year],” he said.

    “I don’t want to give an answer that can change in a month’s or three months’ time. I think now there’s a lot on my mind after this World Cup and a lot to process.

    “When things start to get clearer, when we’ve had our discussions, I might have a better perspective.”

    “At the end of the day, I don’t choose if I become captain, that’s for the man sitting next to me,” he added. “Enoch [Nkwe, CSA director of cricket] might see things differently, and he’ll make a decision based on the information he’s gathered. We’ll see what the conversations are.”

    READ: Bavuma still in state of ‘disbelief’

    Bavuma acknowledged his batting hadn’t been good enough but said he was happy with the role he had played as captain.

    “When a team performs like that, questions are going to be asked, and they’ll come at the leaders,” he said.

    “I’m the captain, so it’s expected that they’ll ask questions of me. I’ll take a good look at my role and what I contributed to my team’s performance. It’s been a challenging time for myself.

    “I felt we did a good job as a team in terms of supporting each other and giving each other the necessary confidence amidst everything that was happening.

    “Could I say that I’m happy with my personal performances? No. I’m not happy. Am I happy with the way I led the team? Yes, I am.

    “But like I said, it’s important that the leaders have the answers to the questions that are thrown at them.”

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    Simon Borchardt