Temba Bavuma admits off-field dramas make captaining the Proteas more challenging.
The Proteas claimed a 3-0 ODI series whitewash against India despite Cricket South Africa announcing the day before the second game that coach Mark Boucher would be charged with “gross misconduct”. His disciplinary hearing starts on Wednesday.
“I don’t think it’s easy [captaining the team],” Bavuma said. “There are a lot of dynamics that you need to manage. For me, the biggest thing is trying to keep cricket the main focus among the guys.
“I hate to bring this up but it’s been a challenging period for the team, for the players, for particular members of management.
“There’s been a lot of scrutiny surrounding the team and surrounding the organisation, so to manage the conversations happening around the change room and to ensure our energy is 100% geared towards performing out there, for me, has been the biggest challenge.
“It has been a big responsibility but has also been a privilege. But it’s not easy.
“I enjoy the captaincy. It seems to have brought the benefit of that showing in my own performances, too,” added Bavuma, who scored 153 runs at an average of 51 during the ODI series against India.
“I enjoy the tactical side of things. There’s a lot of thinking involved. And that thinking extends to your own game, too. I suppose I’m a bit clearer in terms of what I want myself to do.
“I’m always trying to assess the situation and come up with solutions. That’s probably the reason why the form has come with the captaincy.”
