Temba Bavuma looking to step up as Proteas gear up for India World Cup clash
By
SABC Sport
4th November 2023
Captain Temba Bavuma says he is eager to make a contribution with the bat for the Proteas ahead of their blockbuster clash against World Cup hosts India in Kolkata.
Bavuma has been the least productive of the Proteas' top-order batters so far at the global tournament.
The skipper has only contributed 111 runs in five innings with a high score of 35 while he shared in a 108-run opening stand with Quinton de Kock against Australia in Lucknow.
De Kock by contrast has gone on to hit four centuries in seven matches and is the leading run-scorer in the competition while there have been significant contributions from Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller.
Bavuma told reporters: "You always want to be making contributions. The other batters are smashing it at the moment, and I take comfort in the fact that I've been involved in some partnerships with Quinton up front.
"From my side, maybe it's just one of those patches again where I am kind of scratching, but I think I've got to keep that belief that the opportunity will be there for me to make a big play within the team.
"That's where my head is. I take a lot of comfort in the fact that we've been getting starts in that first ten overs and obviously with the guys being in form, they've been able to exploit that and play the way that they've played."
