Temba Bavuma may not feature in South Africa's squad for the Cape Town opener

South Africa, who are currently the second placed team in the ICC Test rankings is all geared up to host India in a bilateral series across all the formats. And evidently, the Proteas will come with all guns blazing at the numero uno Test team India, in a battle to establish their dominion. The Indian team, on the other hand, will face an uphill task, as the Men in Blue has never succeeded in registering a Test win in the rainbow nation.

The South African team looks lethal on paper, especially with their marquee players Dale Steyn and AB De Villiers back from their respective sabbaticals. Steyn was out with a shoulder injury while De Villiers took a voluntary retirement eyeing the 2019 World Cup. And now with both Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock passed fit, there is thus going to have to be one high-profile “sit out” stroke-player.

According to Cricbuzz, It will definitely be a tough task for the Protea team management and head coach Ottis Gibson. However, the name that has surfaced is of dynamic middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma. Bavuma, who is the first black African cricketer to make a Test century for South Africa, will face a tough task to find a place in the squad for the opener at Cape Town.

Bavuma and AB de are arguably the two premier fielders in the current Test squad

Sacrificing Bavuma, however, would deal a huge blow to their cause. The Proteas are desperate to reinvent themselves as one of the premier fielding forces in world cricket. Bavuma and AB de Villiers are arguably the two premier fielders in the current Test squad ranks, albeit that the latter is now nearly 34.

So if Bavuma is axed, the team-management would be making a certain, noticeable sacrifice to their broad fielding prowess, which is not something the current South African regime wants.