South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has praised Temba Bavuma for his calm and steady style of leadership, while comparing him with MS Dhoni, one of India’s most successful captains. De Villiers believes Bavuma’s captaincy has surprised almost everyone, and he helped South Africa rise in Test cricket again.
On a YouTube show with R Ashwin, de Villiers said, “I think it was similar with MS Dhoni back in the day. I hardly ever heard his voice. He was calm, didn’t speak much, but when he did, people listened. I think it might be the same with Temba. He earns respect by being calm. It’s absolutely incredible. He has taken me aback with the success he has achieved.”
De Villiers revealed how he had been unsure about Bavuma’s captaincy, “He has surprised all of us,” he said. “I’ve spoken to my friends about it for years. For the first few years after he was named captain, I was hesitant to say I was confident about the call. Maybe it comes back to the old phrase: you can’t judge a book by its cover.”
De Villiers explained that Bavuma’s quiet nature is one of his biggest strengths. He said, “He doesn’t look like this big Graeme Smith with the aura and intimidating presence. Temba is a small, soft-spoken guy; he hardly ever raises his voice. It shows you that different styles of captaincy can be successful.”
Under Bavuma’s captaincy, South Africa have won 11 of 12 Tests, and also the World Test Championship. The series win in India – by an emphatic 2-0 margin – was their first in 25 years.
For the latest sports updates: Follow RevSportz