Temba Bavuma says Proteas have a target on their backs as Test Championship resumes

South Africa won the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in June 2025, claiming their maiden title in the competition. The Proteas now return home to defend that status as the Test Championship cycle resumes with a series against Australia starting at Kingsmead in Durban on October 9. The three-match contest will continue at St George’s Park in Gqeberha and conclude at Newlands in Cape Town.

Captain Temba Bavuma has acknowledged the weight of expectation that comes with holding the championship crown. Speaking ahead of the upcoming home campaign, Bavuma reflected on how opposition teams will approach their fixtures against South Africa with renewed intensity.

“There is a target on our backs if I could say it that way. Teams that are going to play against South Africa now will want to test their mettle against us as the No 1 team. If there is pressure, it is about us living up to that and being able to absorb pressure,” said Bavuma as quoted by Times Live.

Defending champions face heightened expectations

Bavuma stressed that the team’s core identity and standards remain unchanged despite the added scrutiny. He expressed confidence that the squad possesses the mental resilience to handle the demands of defending champions.

“There is a lot more foundational work that has gone on with the team and I don’t believe it will change us. We know what we want to achieve, a lot of that identity has been set. It is just a case of finding a way to exceed the standards that we have set for ourselves in the past. We walk around proudly as Test Championship champions. Being in the changeroom, I don’t see guys scared when we talk about that,” Bavuma said.

Preparation underway for home campaign

The captain confirmed that preparation for the Australian series and subsequent home assignments is well underway. South Africa will face Bangladesh in a two-Test series at the Wanderers in Johannesburg and SuperSport Park in Centurion during November, followed by England across three venues in December and January.

Bavuma outlined the planning process underway within the squad as the team prepares for the demanding home schedule. The captain emphasised the importance of early preparation and coordination among the coaching staff and senior players.

“Planning has already started. Conversations with the coach and senior players within the group have started. We meet in the middle of September for the ODI series and we are looking forward to being in the field again,” Bavuma said.

“I watched England against New Zealand and Australia against Bangladesh where Australia went down in the first Test. But I expect the Aussies to come back strong and show their quality. Bangladesh have a good bowling attack and they will definitely keep us on our toes. When I am not playing, I don’t watch a lot of cricket. I try to catch up with the matches whenever I can. I try to switch off as much as I can. Part of the preparation is when I get information from the analysis team to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition,” he added.

Depth and youth provide strength

Bavuma reflected on South Africa’s recent Test record and the depth available to the team. The Proteas drew 1-1 in Pakistan and won 2-0 in India between October and November 2025, demonstrating competitive form across different conditions. He highlighted the emergence of younger players as a source of strength for the squad and pointed to the performance of South Africa A as evidence of the talent pipeline.

“In 2019 when we had an exodus of senior players like AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, we had to step up into those roles. There were adjustments in that transitionary period and it showed in our performances. South African cricket is in a good space and it shows with the depth and quality of the young guys coming through. You look at the way they have been performing for the South Africa A side while being led by Marques Ackerman, who can’t stop scoring runs at the moment. Those are the types of things that keep the other guys at the top of their games,” Bavuma said.

“It is an exciting season coming up with some good content and you know there is nothing tougher than hosting Australia here. It will be for the first time we will playing at home since we won the Test Championship title. It will be exciting to share the moment with our local fans. From a personal perspective, I had a long break and fortunately or unfortunately, there just hasn’t been enough international cricket,” he added.