‘My friends from Langa would have huge plates at lunch. We'd laugh about it but…': SA captain Temba Bavuma recalls humble beginnings ahead of WTC final
Temba Bavuma, the first black captain of South African cricket, will lead them in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord's on June 11. The 35-year-old comes from humble beginnings in a dusty village called Langa in South Africa and ahead of the final vs Australia, recalled how he had difficulties in South African College High School (SACS), which is a school in Cape Town and develops young cricketers in South Africa growing up.
'It was tough integrating within the system, learning and understanding the (white) culture,' he said of his time at SACS. 'But I had to learn about discipline and etiquette. I also had to learn confidence. Can you imagine taking a child from the township into a system where, basically, everything is there? There were always doubts. Am I good enough to be here?' he said, speaking to The Guardian.
'My friends from Langa would have huge plates at lunch. We'd laugh about it but… the Langa boy would be wondering when is he going to get another opportunity to eat food like that?' he added.
'There was always some sort of allegiance with Lord's when we were growing up in Langa,' Bavuma said on playing the final at the iconic venue. 'On the right-hand side of the street the tar wasn't done so nicely and we used to call it Karachi. The other side was the MCG. But my favourite section was clean and done up nicely, and we called it Lord's because it just looked better. As a kid of 10, I already had that dream of playing at Lord's.'
'The added responsibility, getting pushed up the order, is something I thrived on,' reflected Bavuma on his captaincy. 'Most of all, I just understand my game and I don't try playing like anyone else.'
As a captain, his former coach Geoffrey Toyana firmly believes that Bavuma is among the best in the world. Most of his on-field calls back that assessment and he puts it down to Bavuma's personality. 'He's the kind the players want to turn up for. Short in stature, but strong in character,' said Toyana speaking to The Indian Express.
Listen to this. 'Since his early cricketing days, we've given him the nickname Sachin. The thing that put him apart even when he wasn't a captain is what you saw of him when he spoke. The people want to listen to what he has to say. It's a strong trait to have as a leader.
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