South Africa has appointed Temba Bavuma as limited-overs captain, while Dean Elgar will lead Proteas in limited-overs cricket. Bavuma, who will also be the vice-captain in Tests, will lead them in the next three World Cups: the T20 events in 2021 and 2022 and the 50-over competition in 2023. Bavuma is also South Africa’s first permanently-appointed black African captain.
The pair took over from wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who led South Africa in all formats during the 2020-21 season. De Kock was named long-term captain in white-ball cricket in January 2020 and led South Africa in Test cricket during the current season on what was described as a temporary basis.
CSA’s Director of Cricket (DoC), Graeme Smith said, “We are grateful to Quinton for the work he has put in as captain of the team in the limited overs formats and are indebted to him for stepping up while the National Selection Panel continued its search for the Test captain. We expect him to still play an integral role in the team’s leadership group.”
“We as CSA are pleased with the appointments of Temba and Dean and believe that we have the men who will lead the Proteas back to their winning ways of old. The pair bring the required stability in both leadership and form to turn the ship in the direction that will eventually bring trophies back to the cabinets,” he added.
Bavuma is honoured and delighted to lead the Proteas for the first time. He said, “Captaining the Proteas has been a dream of mine for many years as those closest to me would know. This is one of the greatest honours of my life so far and I am looking forward to picking up where Quinny (de Kock) has left off in leading the team into the new culture that we have developed and continue to work on.”
“The responsibility of captaining one’s country is not one I take lightly, and I am looking forward to this new challenge and journey with Dean in the Test cricket format, as well as leading the team to not just one, but three ICC World Cups in the very near future,” he said.
Elgar echoed Bavuma’s words in his statement, saying, “I’ve always said that to captain your country in any form of the game is the biggest honour that a player can be fortunate to receive. To captain my country’s Test team, which I believe to be the pinnacle of the game, is the biggest highlight of my career and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my country in such an important way.”
“Temba and I know more than most the challenge that we have ahead of us in returning the Test squad back to its winning ways, but I know that we’re both more than ready for the task at hand. I’m looking forward to bringing stability back into the team and laying a solid foundation for us to be able to accomplish the ambitions we all have to see the Proteas go back to the world’s number one spot in all three formats,” he added.
