Image Credit- Getty
Following a hamstring strain that prevented him from
playing for the majority of the Boxing Day encounter, Temba Bavuma has been
ruled out of the New Year’s Test against India. In what will likely be his last
Test match, Dean Elgar, coming off a match-winning 185 in Centurion, will
captain South Africa. Zubayr Hamza has joined the team in the interim.
On the opening morning of the match, Bavuma hurt
himself when he pursued a ball towards long-off and caught it just before the
boundary in the 20th over. Cricket South Africa stated that he would be watched
every day to assess whether he can continue playing in the match after he left
the pitch right after and was sent for a scan, which showed a strain but not a
tear.
After a brief appearance during the morning warm-ups,
he vanished from view. The team management did not provide any updates for the
next two days, including when Bavuma will bat. He could only bat once he had
served the amount of time he was off for, or after the fifth wicket fell,
whichever came first because of the internal injury. However, inquiries to the
changing room were not returned, leading to conjecture on the extent of his
injury.
Bavuma was “not in a great physical state,”
according to South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad, but the situation was
“fluid” and the squad wanted to hold off on making any public remarks
until they knew if Bavuma would be required to bat. In the end, Conrad judged
South Africa’s lead comfortable enough at 163, so he chose not to take a chance
on Bavuma.
Bavuma will be assessed to determine his availability
for his next assignment, with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the SA20. He will
not play in South Africa’s two-Test series against New Zealand early next year
because of his SA20 commitments.