South Africa's Temba Bavuma excited by Australia challenge in World Test championship final
10/06/2025
Lord's Cricket ground, London, Uk
10/06/2025
Lord's Cricket ground, London, Uk
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:02Morning, Tampa.
00:02Do you have an 11 for us?
00:04Yeah, we do have a team.
00:07I guess I'll just run through it.
00:09Aiden and Rickleton at the top.
00:12Mulders comes in at three, myself a four.
00:15You've got Stubber at five,
00:16Billingham, you've got Carl,
00:18you've got Marco, Jansen,
00:21Kesh,
00:22KG, and
00:24Lungi.
00:26And just preparation, it feels
00:28like a long time you've been spending here
00:30in the Nets and whatnot.
00:32It almost helps, doesn't it, coming to a place like this
00:34and then before match day
00:36you become accustomed to it and maybe not
00:38overawed. Yeah, I think
00:40I mean, we've said
00:42it before, last time we played Red Bull cricket has been
00:44a while, so coming here
00:46a couple of days early has been
00:48helpful from that sense.
00:49A lot of our work was
00:51done in Arendelle
00:52and I think coming here to Lourdes was
00:55really to kind of get accustomed
00:57to the place,
00:59the conditions
01:00and then obviously getting yourself
01:02mentally in the right space.
01:03I think
01:04it has been a good
01:06build-up.
01:07It has felt a little bit long.
01:09I think the guys are
01:10raring to
01:11go and start the game.
01:15Temba, you mentioned
01:16Lungi will be
01:17playing. Can you just tell us a little bit about
01:19what
01:19swayed that decision and I suppose he hasn't
01:21played for a while but we heard
01:22Shooks sort of singing his praises
01:24when the squad was announced?
01:26Yeah, I think I mean
01:27probably one of the tougher
01:28decisions that have been made.
01:31We've seen what Peto
01:32did for us to
01:34the end of last season.
01:36But I think it was more
01:38from a tactical
01:40point of view,
01:41you know,
01:42probably a little bit more pace from
01:44Lungi.
01:45Comes from
01:46I guess his
01:47toilet as well.
01:48I think Lungi also has a good record,
01:50you know, not taking away
01:51anything from
01:51from Peto.
01:53He has the experience
01:54he's paid here before,
01:55not that Peto
01:56hasn't.
01:59But I think he will
02:00complement
02:00that bowling attack
02:02I guess a little bit more.
02:04We have a guy like
02:05Mulder as well
02:05who kind of gives you
02:07similar to what
02:07Peto can do.
02:09So,
02:10yeah,
02:10I think that was probably
02:11one of the difficult decisions
02:13that we had to
02:14make.
02:15And then just,
02:16you know,
02:16obviously you've had a lot of
02:17build up and there's been a lot of
02:18talk over the last couple of weeks.
02:21What will you say to the guys
02:22tonight?
02:22I don't know if you will even
02:23address them tonight.
02:24And what will you say to yourself
02:25like in your quiet moments
02:26around what tomorrow's
02:27going to be like?
02:29Yeah,
02:29I think,
02:30I mean,
02:30we've been with the group now.
02:31Like I said,
02:32in our preparation,
02:33I think a lot of it
02:34has been emotive.
02:36Understanding what the occasion
02:37is about,
02:38being here at Lourdes.
02:39So I think from a motivation
02:41point of view,
02:42there's not much that I can do.
02:44I think if players needed
02:46to be motivated,
02:47then that would be a problem.
02:48I think now it's kind of,
02:49maybe just kind of getting down
02:51to the fact that we actually
02:52need to play the game.
02:53Let's play what is in front of us.
02:55Let's not get up,
02:56let's not get caught up
02:57into too much of the story
02:59and what could be
03:00and just be ready
03:02for what's to come.
03:03We accept and understand
03:04that it's going to be tough
03:05against the Australians.
03:07The guys who played
03:08against them know.
03:09And look,
03:10I mean,
03:10there've been good times,
03:12there've been bad times
03:12and we need to feed off
03:14all those good times.
03:15So yeah,
03:15I think time for the emotions
03:17and the stories
03:18and all of that
03:18is to put it behind us
03:20and really be ready
03:22to play what's in front of us.
03:24Temba,
03:25like you said,
03:26obviously your focus
03:26will be what happens
03:28over the next five days
03:29and getting the better
03:30of Australia.
03:31But can you take a step away
03:33and acknowledge
03:34the importance of this match
03:36for the future
03:36of South African test cricket
03:38and also for,
03:39say,
03:39other test nations
03:40who struggle
03:41to play test cricket
03:42as regularly
03:43as, say,
03:44in India,
03:44Australia or in England?
03:45Yeah,
03:46I think,
03:46I mean,
03:47if I think of,
03:49if I think of the way
03:50things are back home,
03:51I think there've already
03:52been benefits
03:53for the people back home.
03:55I mean,
03:56if you think of the number
03:56of people who are flying
03:57in here
03:58to be a part
04:00of this occasion,
04:00to hopefully witness
04:01some sort of history,
04:03I think that already
04:04shows the positive impact
04:05that the game is having.
04:07on the country
04:09as a whole.
04:11I think,
04:11obviously,
04:11with the younger guys
04:12as well being swayed
04:13by T20 cricket
04:14and all of that,
04:15I think,
04:16you know,
04:16the efforts that we're doing
04:17within the Red Bull space
04:19hopefully will inspire
04:20those younger guys
04:21to want to play
04:22Red Bull cricket.
04:23And I think you would have seen
04:24with our squad
04:26going to Zimbabwe,
04:27the young guys,
04:27Luandri Petrorius,
04:29Diawalt,
04:30Brevis,
04:31all those young guys
04:32who are coming in,
04:33Lesejo as well,
04:34Senukwane,
04:35I think that will kind of
04:36keep them chomping
04:37at the bit
04:38in terms of Red Bull cricket.
04:39So I think things are good.
04:42Obviously,
04:43also as us being
04:44not as economically strong
04:46as the other nations,
04:47we want to make sure
04:49that we are competitive,
04:51we want to make sure
04:52that we're doing
04:52the right things
04:53on the field.
04:56Yeah.
04:58Just in the same way
04:59as you explained
05:00the decision for
05:01Nguidi over Patterson,
05:02can you talk a little bit
05:03about Mildred,
05:04number three,
05:04what you're expecting there,
05:05what can he deliver?
05:07Yeah,
05:07I think,
05:07I mean,
05:08Mulder is quite young,
05:09obviously,
05:09in that position.
05:12But I think,
05:13you know,
05:13having played with Mulder,
05:14having seen him,
05:15the way he's kind of grown
05:16in the last two years
05:18within the Red Bull format,
05:20it's about giving him
05:21a lot more confidence,
05:22keep backing him,
05:24and just allowing him
05:25to do what he does best.
05:26So,
05:27I mean,
05:28I think,
05:29yes,
05:29he has an opportunity
05:30in a personal situation,
05:32but I think he can take
05:34comfort from the fact
05:35that,
05:36you know,
05:36the guys are backing him.
05:38We just want him
05:39to go out and play
05:40his game.
05:43Temba,
05:43can you just talk about
05:44how you think
05:45the team has evolved
05:46and improved
05:47since the 22-23 series,
05:48last time you played
05:49in Australia?
05:51Last time?
05:53Oh,
05:53that wasn't a good time
05:54in Australia.
05:55I think,
05:58I mean,
05:58after then,
05:59I mean,
05:59there's a couple
06:00of more new faces
06:01from that series.
06:04I think for a lot
06:05of us who were there,
06:07it was a little bit
06:07of an eye-opener,
06:09playing against Australia,
06:11seeing how their batters
06:12went about their business,
06:14facing their bowlers,
06:15and how,
06:16you know,
06:17you're always under pressure,
06:19and you kind of
06:20had to find ways
06:21to exert pressure
06:21back on them,
06:22and I think that,
06:23at least for me,
06:24gave me
06:24an opportunity
06:26to kind of
06:27have a look
06:28at my game,
06:28to see where
06:29I can improve,
06:30and hopefully
06:32try to emulate
06:33the performances
06:33that those batters
06:34were putting up
06:36at that point in time.
06:39And I think probably
06:39also in terms of
06:40the way that we
06:41wanted to play
06:42our cricket as a whole,
06:43it influenced that,
06:44and I think a guy
06:45like Shukri coming in,
06:46it was kind of
06:47at the right time,
06:49if I could say that,
06:50in that when he came in,
06:52it was encouraging guys
06:53to be themselves,
06:54to play their best cricket.
06:55So,
06:56yeah,
06:57hopefully,
06:58you know,
06:58those memories
06:59are behind us.
07:00We can create
07:01some new ones now,
07:02but I think it was
07:03a critical point
07:05in our journey
07:08as cricketers,
07:09but for me,
07:10particularly,
07:11definitely.
07:12Temper,
07:13what do you say
07:13to the likes of
07:14Ryan,
07:15Tristan,
07:16David,
07:17who are facing
07:17the Australian side
07:18in test cricket
07:18for the first time,
07:19or do they see
07:20enough of them
07:21in white ball cricket
07:22franchise tournaments
07:23that you really
07:23don't have to say
07:24too much?
07:25Yeah,
07:26I mean,
07:26all those guys
07:27will be up for it.
07:29Ryan,
07:29Tristan,
07:30they'll all be up for it.
07:31I think,
07:32like for us,
07:33I don't think
07:33it's any different,
07:34to be honest.
07:35You accept that
07:36it's going to be tough,
07:36but at the same time,
07:38you've got to have
07:39the belief that
07:40what you have
07:41is enough.
07:43I think belief
07:43is a big thing.
07:44A lot of the athletes
07:45will tell you that.
07:47And I think
07:47from a team's perspective,
07:48we don't expect
07:49the guys to be
07:50any different.
07:51Just be the player
07:52that you know
07:52and we need you to be.
07:55The way Rickleton
07:56has come into the team
07:57and almost cemented
08:00his position there,
08:01the opener,
08:01there's a reason
08:02behind all of that.
08:03So whatever he's done
08:04to do that,
08:04let him continue that.
08:05And Stubbo as well.
08:07Exciting talent.
08:09You know,
08:09here's an opportunity
08:10for him to show
08:11why he's highly revered
08:14within our circles.
08:18Temba,
08:18you've this week
08:20spoken to
08:21Sport24,
08:22Guardian,
08:23ESPN,
08:24you did a piece
08:24with the BBC.
08:25To everyone, yes.
08:26Yeah, basically.
08:27I mean,
08:28is it easy to kind of
08:29stay above the narrative?
08:31Like your story,
08:32where have you come from?
08:33Are you able
08:34to kind of differentiate
08:35between focusing
08:36on what's happening
08:37and also
08:37how significant this is?
08:39Are you able
08:40to find that balance?
08:41Yeah,
08:42I think that's a good question.
08:43It's quite challenging
08:44to be honest.
08:46I mean,
08:47yesterday we were
08:47at the captain's dinner
08:48with the Hall of Fame
08:50inductees
08:51and that question
08:52got asked.
08:53I think,
08:55I mean,
08:56I try to focus
08:56on the cricket
08:57as much as I can
08:58to be honest with you.
08:58I try not to get
09:00down too much
09:01into the emotional
09:02side of it,
09:03but it is important.
09:04It is a thing.
09:06I try to soak it in
09:08as much as I can
09:08in that moment,
09:10but then kind of
09:11switch into
09:12kind of the playing mode.
09:13So,
09:14I think like I said
09:15yesterday,
09:15I mean,
09:16my story has been
09:17an interesting one.
09:19It's been a beautiful one
09:21in a lot of ways
09:21and,
09:22yeah,
09:23hopefully there's a lot
09:24more happy moments
09:25within it.
09:26Is it heavy
09:27to hold all that?
09:28Not,
09:29I mean,
09:29if you asked me
09:30three or four years ago,
09:31I'd probably say that,
09:32Daniel,
09:32but probably not so much now.
09:34I think I look at it
09:35with a lot more
09:36gratitude,
09:37if I could say.
09:40And I think it's just
09:41a part of,
09:41I guess,
09:42a part of my journey,
09:43unique to me.
09:45And I think,
09:46I guess,
09:46it comes with being
09:47the first
09:47in a lot of things.
09:49So,
09:50I mean,
09:50now I think I can speak
09:51about it openly
09:52without much
09:53anxiety
09:55or anything like that.
09:56But,
09:57yeah,
09:57maybe four or five
09:58years ago,
09:58I would,
09:59I probably wouldn't
10:00even answer the question,
10:01yeah.
10:03Tim,
10:04for South Africans,
10:05it almost feels like
10:06Australia win
10:07ICC trophies
10:08all the time.
10:09And,
10:10of course,
10:10that's not the case
10:11with other teams.
10:12And I just wonder,
10:14what difference do you
10:15think this might make
10:16for teams like South Africa?
10:17We saw New Zealand
10:18win it the other year
10:19and I'm not sure
10:19it's made that much
10:20of a difference for them.
10:21But what would it do?
10:23Yeah,
10:23I think,
10:24I mean,
10:25for us as the players,
10:26we know that
10:26what we control
10:27is what we do
10:28on the field of play.
10:30And for us
10:31to remain competitive,
10:32for us to be regarded
10:34as a top cricketing nation,
10:35we've got to be
10:36in these positions
10:37where we can go
10:38for silverware.
10:39So,
10:39I think that's already ticked.
10:42I think,
10:42obviously,
10:42going over the line,
10:44you know,
10:44will,
10:45is part of the whole story.
10:47And I think
10:49for this bunch,
10:50for this bunch of players,
10:52for this group,
10:52for Shukri,
10:54you know,
10:54I think it'll be
10:55a massive feather
10:56within our cap.
10:58So,
10:59yeah,
10:59we'll always try to focus
11:00on what we need
11:01to do on the field.
11:03We always speak
11:04about excellence.
11:05We always speak
11:05about doing something
11:06special for the country
11:08and also for each other.
11:10So,
11:10here's another opportunity
11:11for us to do that.
11:13On that note,
11:19what would it mean
11:19to you to end
11:20the long wait
11:21for a world title
11:22for South Africa?
11:24Yeah,
11:24I guess it would be special.
11:27I mean,
11:28I've already said
11:28it's a career,
11:30it's a highlight
11:31of my career.
11:35And I think
11:35it would be a nice thing
11:36to be a part
11:36of that story.
11:39I guess my story,
11:40there's a lot of
11:41moments of
11:42resilience,
11:43moments of
11:44great determination,
11:45all of those
11:45type of things.
11:47And I guess
11:47it would be nice
11:48if it's backed up
11:49with something.
11:52But I mean,
11:52that's part of the story,
11:53right?
11:53I don't write that story.
11:56Yeah,
11:56I can fantasize,
11:57but that's not for me
11:59really to dictate.
12:00But I think,
12:00yes,
12:01it will be special
12:02for a lot of people
12:03in a lot of ways.
12:06Timber,
12:06on the Rabada situation,
12:08have you spoken to him
12:09very much about
12:10what happened
12:11and how do you expect
12:12him to play tomorrow?
12:15Do you think it will be
12:15a motivation for him
12:16or added pressure?
12:18Definitely a motivation.
12:21I think,
12:22I mean,
12:22it's been a couple
12:24of weeks now
12:24that I guess
12:27everything has unfolded.
12:29Conversations
12:30have been had.
12:32He had a conversation
12:33with the team.
12:34He put himself
12:35on the spot
12:35for,
12:36I guess,
12:37further questioning
12:38from any of the players.
12:39And as far as we know,
12:41that's kind of behind us.
12:43We've really come here
12:44with the focus
12:45of what we need to do here.
12:47And I think he's
12:47in the best shape
12:48that he's ever been.
12:50So,
12:51definitely motivated.
12:53We also play
12:54against the Australians
12:55as well.
12:55So,
12:56you know,
12:56that'll be extra motivation
12:57for him.
12:58But yeah,
12:58I think he's in
12:59a very good space.
13:03Timber,
13:03we saw Shuk
13:04spend a bit of time
13:05with Rassi
13:06in the build-up.
13:08You're good mates
13:09with Sia.
13:09Has he sent you a message?
13:11Has he sent you a good luck
13:13or just passed on
13:14any magical ways
13:16to win a World Cup?
13:17No,
13:18he actually hasn't.
13:20He actually hasn't.
13:22I should have a word
13:23with him.
13:24But yeah,
13:25I mean,
13:25Shukri had that opportunity.
13:27I kind of laugh
13:28at Shukri
13:29and ask who called who,
13:30you know.
13:32But I mean,
13:32he gave a bit
13:33of that feedback
13:34from how they do things.
13:36And I see he's
13:37kind of implemented
13:39one of those,
13:40one of that
13:40within the team.
13:43To answer your question,
13:44no,
13:44I haven't checked it.
13:45It's here.
13:46I lost you a question.
13:48Timber,
13:49on the coach yesterday,
13:50I think his line was,
13:51he was confident
13:52that the team
13:53would be able to exploit
13:54any vulnerabilities
13:54that Australia has.
13:56Is potentially
13:57one of those vulnerabilities
13:58a non-specialist opening
14:00batter against
14:01the world-class attack
14:02that you've got?
14:04Have they announced
14:05the team?
14:06Not yet.
14:07Okay.
14:11So who would open
14:12the betting then?
14:15Constance or Labashane.
14:17Constance or Labashane.
14:18Yeah,
14:18I think there is
14:18an opportunity there.
14:21I think the conditions
14:22as well,
14:22I believe,
14:23bring us into
14:24the game a lot
14:25with the swinging ball.
14:28Very different
14:28to Australian conditions,
14:31different to South African
14:33conditions as well.
14:34So yeah,
14:35that definitely gives us
14:36an opportunity.
14:37I think both teams
14:39have formidable
14:41bowling attacks.
14:42I think the real
14:43opportunity is within
14:44the two betting lineups
14:46and how they are able
14:48to kind of front up
14:49and give their bowlers
14:50a score to bowl at.
14:52Timba,
14:55have you sort of
14:56allowed yourself
14:57to dream about
14:59what it would be like
15:00to lift that trophy
15:01at the end of this
15:01match?
15:02Yeah,
15:03I mean,
15:04you picture all of that.
15:07Like I said,
15:09I mean,
15:09it would be
15:09a special moment,
15:12not just for myself
15:13or the team,
15:14but also people back home.
15:18Like I said earlier,
15:19it would be nice
15:20to have it a part
15:20of the story.
15:26Yeah.
15:27Yeah.
15:28Great.
15:29Thank you very much.
15:30Your Honor.