Temba Bavuma Stands Tall As South Africa Stun India At Home, Ends 'Bauna' Row In Style
Temba Bavuma was referred to as 'bauna' on Day 1 of the first Test in Kolkata but he was the one who stood tall to help South Africa secure a memorable 30-run victory.
The only South African captain to have won an ICC title in the 21st century, Temba Bavuma proved his worth in red-ball cricket yet again, scoring an unbeaten half-century in the second innings of the Kolkata Test to help his team secure a 30-run victory on Sunday. South Africa came into the series with the admission that beating India at home remains one of the most difficult tasks for a touring team. Bavuma, who was regrettably referred to as a 'bauna' during a chat between India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, which was caught on the stump mic, truly stood tall to hand India their first defeat in Kolkata in 13 years.
In a second innings that saw Corbin Bosch's 25 off 37 emerge as the second-highest score, Bavuma dug deep, negating the impact of the uneven bounce and turn in the pitch. The Protea skipper played a whopping 136 balls, with the second highest being Bosch's 37, to register an unbeaten knock of 55 runs. The 30-run defeat proved exactly how important Bavuma's resolute knock was.
The 'Bauna' Controversy
On Day 1 of the Test, during South Africa's innings, Bumrah struck South African Bavuma on the pads. As Bumrah and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant discussed whether to take a Decision Review System (DRS) review, the stump mic picked up a comment that was widely interpreted as "bauna bhi hai."
The Hindi word "bauna" translates to 'dwarf' or 'midget' and is often used to refer to a shorter-statured person, which can be considered an offensive term when used in this context. The remark was interpreted as a jibe at Bavuma's height, suggesting the ball might pass over the stumps due to his short stature.
However, it was great to see Bumrah walking up to Bavuma at the end of the match, possibly in a bid to end the chatter on social media around the 'bauna' controversy. Though the exact content of the conversation between the two isn't known, Bumrah is believed to have clarified that he didn't intend to offend Bavuma by any means.
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Jasprit Bumrah