South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out of the CSA Four-Day Series final due to an elbow injury.
South Africa’s Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the CSA Four-Day Series: Division 1 final due to an elbow injury, according to reports. The setback comes as Bavuma was set to join the Lions squad in Johannesburg on Tuesday ahead of their title clash against Titans, scheduled from Thursday (April 10) at The Wanderers Stadium.
The injury is a major concern for South Africa, especially with the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against defending champions Australia less than two months away. The high-profile contest begins on June 11 in England, marking South Africa’s maiden appearance in a WTC final. As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, the CSA Four-Day Series final was supposed to be Bavuma’s last match of the domestic season.
The 34-year-old has had a long-standing battle with fitness, particularly related to his left elbow. He first fractured the elbow in 2022, which kept him out of action for three months, including the England tour. In 2023, he injured the same elbow again while running between the wickets during an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.
In addition to the elbow issues, Bavuma also sustained injuries to both hamstrings in the past, resulting in an extended absence from international cricket.
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Speaking after his return from the second elbow injury, Bavuma had admitted to struggling mentally during recovery.
“It’s just (about) trying to get over all those mental demons and get yourself into a space where you accept what it is that is happening, and you try to deal with it. It has been a tricky couple of weeks,” he had said in November last year.
Despite the setbacks, Bavuma made a strong return to Test cricket, scoring two centuries and three fifties in four Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. He also captained South Africa in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, leading them to the semifinals.
The Lions will now have to contest the domestic red-ball final without their senior leader, while South Africa’s management closely monitors Bavuma’s recovery ahead of the WTC final.
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