South Africa National Cricket Team captain Temba Bavuma has finally addressed the controversial Eden Gardens episode that overshadowed an otherwise historic Test match last month. The opening Test between India and South Africa ended quickly and dramatically inside three days, with the Proteas sealing their first Test victory in India after 14 years.
However, the first Test between India and South Africa will be remembered for the controversial episode involving Temba Bavuma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant. During the game, stump mic audio picked up comments from Bumrah and Pant that were widely criticized for mocking Bavuma’s height.
What Did Temba Bavuma Say About the Eden Gardens Row?
They called the Proteas captain “Bauna (dwarf),” and that remark sparked massive backlash, and later the head coach, Shukri Conrad, justified his “grovel” remark on India while citing Pant and Bumrah’s remark on Bavuma following their historic 2-0 whitewash in Guwahati.
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Now, Temba Bavuma explained that series against India are always intense, and emotions can spill over when the competition heats up. The skipper has stressed that aggression and passion are part of the contest, as long as basic respect between players remains.
Temba Bavuma wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo: “A series against India is always going to be intense, and when it’s heated, it makes it even more of a spectacle and motivates the players further. As long as the respect is still intact between players, it’s all good with whatever happens on the field.”
Temba Bavuma opens up about the apology from Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah
The South African captain revealed that both Bumrah and Pant later approached him and apologized. Bavuma made it clear that while words spoken on the field are not forgotten, they are not carried as grudges either, and there is no bad blood between them.
Bavuma further recalled, “I know from my side there was an incident where they said something in their language about me. At the end of the day two senior players, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, came and apologized. When the apology was made, I was in the dark about what it was about; I hadn’t heard it at the time, and I needed to check in with our media manager about it.”
The Proteas captain signed off by saying, “What happens on the field stays on the field, but you don’t forget what is said. You use it as fuel and motivation, but there are no grudges per se.”
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Why Test Series 2-0 Win is a “Massive Moment” for South Africa?
On the other hand, Bavuma described South Africa’s 2-0 Test series win in India as a massive moment for the South Africa team. He highlighted how rare the achievement was, pointing out that their last series victory in India came way back in 2000.
South Africa’s 2-0 victory in the recent Test series after more than two decades showed how far the team has come and underlined their growth as a strong Test side, said Bavuma.
Looking back, Bavuma recalled tough memories from his earlier tours of India. In 2015, South Africa lost the series 3-0, and he featured only in the final Test in Delhi. The 2019 tour was even harder, with India winning all three tests against the Proteas side.
