Temba Bavuma is carrying a burden in this competition that no other competitor is. And it has attained these heights as a result of the interaction between the outdated power structures of cricket and the complicated sociopolitical conditions in South Africa.Let’s first examine the history of captaincy, which dates back to the days when amateurs—often batter with varied levels of skill—frequently outhit pros. We’ll discuss the captaincy’s purview later.
The upper classes exploited this idea to assert their dominance over those who dared to demand payment for their services. the worry. How could the spirit of the game be trusted to such people?
While captains are still often given a suite while others stay in ordinary accommodations, times have changed, and the importance of a captain is now questioned more frequently than it once was. especially if the captain in question isn’t playing cricket well enough to carry the team. Mike Brearley won’t ever be replaced.
If, however, the person benefiting from it is the first Black African man to lead South Africa in international cricket, should you vehemently question the traditionally upper-class English construct of the supreme captain?
Let’s first clarify one issue. Because he is a Black man, Bavuma was not chosen to be the captain. In actuality, he assumed a difficult position of leadership in the perishing South African cricket team. At the most recent Men’s T20 World Cup, when Quinton de Kock refused to bend over, he led the team with grace and firmness. De Kock was then welcomed back into the group by him. At the domestic level, he was an accomplished leader. Regarding his current rivals for a berth in the XI, Reeza Hendricks had not yet had his greatest year in T20 cricket, and Rilee Rossouw had already switched to Kolpak.
Even if he did not earn the captaincy because of his race, race will play a significant role in determining Bavuma’s future as a T20 player and captain. Aaron Finch and Kane Williamson both have superior T20 history and can be relied upon to turn things around, even though Bavuma isn’t the only T20I skipper who is currently having issues. Bavuma, who has a T20I strike rate of 115, is keeping Hendricks, a player of colour who is having a tremendous year in T20s with an average of 42 and a strike rate of 144, out of the squad.
However, cricket has never been particularly good at handling underperforming leaders. Once the XV has been decided upon and the captain has been given command, it is virtually up to them to drop themselves. Coaches understand the risks associated with utilising force. especially in the case of Bavuma. It is not unlikely that the myth that Black Africans are not natural leaders will be debunked, which will give selections even more reason to support him and give him even more motivation to keep fighting.
While maintaining appropriate body language and moulding the team in their own image are still important aspects of the job description, we still prefer the idea of having a single boss who is ultimately responsible. This is the role of the captain in cricket; they stand up when their team loses and take the glory when they win. It may also make sense because the coach doesn’t actually experience the conditions in the middle of the field, and having a sense of the game is essential for making vital judgments. It is predicated on the idea that, for example, Keshav Maharaj, as vice-captain, cannot make those choices; yet, if Maharaj is appointed captain, the next in line cannot. It also contains the supposition that those choices are more significant than runs scored and wickets taken.