Temba Bavuma: Proteas Test side still in building phase

South Africa will don their all-whites for the first time since March when they host India at SuperSport Park from Tuesday, as their 2023-2025 ICC Test Championship cycle kicks off.

Having displayed an attractive, attacking brand of cricket in the white-ball format during the recent 50-over World Cup in India, where they lost to eventual winners Australia in the semi-finals, all eyes will now be on how they build thereon in the red-ball format.

Bavuma, who returns to action for the first time since the World Cup, says their approach is still a work in progress, with the focus simultaneously on building a new Test team.

"In terms of the brand, there definitely has been talk about that, not just now but something we also spoke about just before the West Indies series," Bavuma told the media.

"I guess we're still trying to see how that [brand] would look like. Looking at the Test team, it's still in its discovery phase, still a team in building, as you see a lot more new faces within the team.

"I guess we're still trying to build it and see what the final product will look like."

Veteran batter Dean Elgar will officially retire from international cricket upon the conclusion of this two-match series, which will culminate at Cape Town's Newlands Cricket Ground early next month.

Buvuma further insisted there is no extra pressure on the team or players to replicate the exciting performances displayed at the World Cup and attract support in the five-day space.

"I don't think there's any extra pressure on the players or any pressure we put on ourselves to get a lot more eyes on Test cricket," he added.

"I think, for us it's to play an attractive, winning brand of cricket and that's what we're going to strive to do."

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