IND vs SA 2025: ‘I fit in top three, but whatever’s best for team’ – Temba Bavuma not fussed about batting position | CricTracker

Temba Bavuma is set to return as captain of the South Africa ODI side against India as they aim to level the series, though his batting position has yet to be confirmed as the team continues to experiment with top-order combinations. Bavuma missed the opening match due to illness, prompting the Proteas to field a different opening pair of Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, with Quinton de Kock at No. 3.

With the series hanging in the balance, South Africa may revert to the more experienced and successful combination of De Kock and Bavuma at the top, given their strong record. Markram and Rickelton have opened in seven innings at an average of 43.71, while the De Kock-Bavuma pairing has accumulated over 1,000 runs at an average of 56.42, making them the likely stronger option.

“Where I fit in, generally being in that top three, I’m easy whichever way is best for the team, as long as I’m still contributing. At the moment, it’s about creating depth. There is versatility in that guys who generally bat at the top of their order have used in the middle. In this team, a guy like Matthew Breetzke, who generally sees himself at the top in one-day cricket, but he’s doing that job more than well now at No.4 A guy like Tony (de Zorzi) – he’s getting that opportunity to bat at five,” Bavuma said in Raipur as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

With Heinrich Klaasen retired, Tristan Stubbs dropped, and David Miller unavailable for this ODI squad, South Africa have effectively assembled a top five comprising five different opening batters, with Dewald Brevis coming in at No. 6. The only reserve batter, Rubin Hermann, has spent the majority of his List A career in the top three. Bavuma explained that this strategy reflects their intent to prioritise experienced top-order players in the squad.

“Going back to South Africa, there’s always that element of batsmanship that you need. I know there’s a big craze about guys hitting sixes in the middle order, but you need a little bit of batsmanship. A guy like Tony, he has the characteristics. I guess now it’s just to keep putting on the performances to justify why he should do that,” said Bavuma.

With the 2027 ODI World Cup less than two years away, South Africa are set to play only nine ODIs after this series, all at home, according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP). While this could change, the FTP currently runs only until April 2027 and the World Cup is scheduled for October, the Proteas are taking advantage of the opportunity to experiment now, precisely what they are doing with their current squad selections.

“Every game we play now is a big lead up opportunity. It’s about filling in the gaps with guys who have left. Especially from a resource point of view, we want to make sure if we do have a situation where one of our main bowlers is out that we do have young guys to step in. We’re seeing guys like Nandre Burger, they are putting up their hands. So creating depth and then seeing where guys can be filling in those roles,” said Bavuma.

With Kagiso Rabada unavailable for the series, Nandre Burger led South Africa’s bowling attack in the first match, supported by three other seamers: Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, and Marco Jansen. The squad also includes Lungi Ngidi, who is expected to feature at some stage, though the team currently appears to be leaning towards utilising allrounders.

Bosch and Jansen played key roles in South Africa’s chase of 350 in Ranchi and could retain their spots as the series progresses. Jansen, in particular, has enjoyed a spectacular tour in India, establishing himself as a central figure in South Africa’s XI across all formats.

“I don’t know where the rankings sit but I’m sure Marco Jansen in any one of those formats will definitely be in the top 10. His contributions with the bat, with the ball, sometimes even both, have been immense to our success. Marco is still a young guy but he’s had a lot of international cricket that is under his belt and he’s only growing into his own and he’s becoming a lot more comfortable in his skin,” said Bavuma.

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