South Africa’s Test captain, Temba Bavuma, will miss the domestic first-class final because of a recurring elbow injury. The match begins today in Johannesburg. Bavuma was supposed to join the Lions team from Cape Town on Tuesday, but he didn’t show up. The team only found out on Wednesday night that he wouldn’t be playing.
Bavuma’s injury concerns his left elbow — the same one that has troubled him in the past. While the full extent of the issue remains unclear, it is a major setback just over two months before South Africa face Australia in the World Test Championship final on June 11. Lions captain Dominic Hendricks had earlier expressed excitement about playing alongside Bavuma in the title clash, making his sudden withdrawal even more unexpected.
The elbow was previously fractured in 2022, keeping Bavuma out of the England tour and sidelining him for three months. He then aggravated the same injury during an ODI against Ireland in 2023, which ruled him out of the Bangladesh Test series. Despite limited red-ball preparation, Bavuma returned strongly, scoring two centuries and multiple fifties during the home season, all while batting with heavy strapping on his elbow.
Following South Africa’s Champions Trophy campaign, Bavuma has not played any competitive cricket but remained involved with the Lions. He was present for their final league match, which was washed out in Bloemfontein, before heading to Cape Town. He was expected to return for the final against the Titans, but this latest setback ends his season prematurely.
With no overseas commitments, the WTC final was supposed to be Bavuma’s final outing this season. South Africa will begin their WTC preparations in mid-May with a warm-up game in England.
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