The World Test Championship (WTC) triumph not only took South African cricket to a different level but also their captain Temba Bavuma to the peak of an elite list which has the likes of Ricky Ponting, Percy Chapman and Warwick Armstrong to name a few. Chasing 282 runs for a win in the fourth innings, South Africa rode on Bavuma’s 66 and Aiden Markram’s 136 to steer his team to a historic five-wicket win at Lord’s.
In fact, it was South Africa’s only second ICC silverware after the ICC KnockOut Trophy (now Champions Trophy) victory back in 1998. In the process, Bavuma did what no other captain in this century has done.
The WTC 2025 final win was Bavuma’s ninth win in 10 Tests as a South African captain. One game ended in a draw, thus officially making him the most successful Test captain in first 10 matches. Former England captain Percy Chapman do have won nine Tests in his first 10 games in 1926, but a solitary loss placed him second in the list behind Bavuma.
Temba Bavuma’s Test captaincy stint
Bavuma was appointed as the captain of the South African Test side before the WTC 2023-25 cycle. His first Test as a captain came in the home series against West Indies in 2022-23 which South Africa won 2-0, followed by another win against India in the first Test in 2023-24 series. However an injury forced him to miss the second Test against India.
With South Africa’s tour of New Zealand clashing with SA20 in 2024, the Proteas sent a second-string side and lost both Tests. Bavuma’s fourth Test as captain came against West Indies in 2024 in the first game which ended an draw due to rain.
Followed by that draw, Bavuma, as a captain won one Test against West Indies (2024), two against Sri Lanka (2024) and Pakistan (2024-25), followed by the WTC 2025 final against Australia.
