SA vs BAN: Temba Bavuma ruled out of second Test against Bangladesh

South Africa’s regular Test captain, Temba Bavuma, has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh due to an elbow injury. Aiden Markram will captain the team for the match, scheduled to begin next Tuesday in Chattogram. Head coach Shukri Conrad confirmed Bavuma is on a rehabilitation plan with hopes for a return in time for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka.

“We just feel medically he's not going to be ready for the second Test,” Conrad explained. “We will tone down the [rehabilitation] programme so that he can be ready for the Sri Lankan series."

Bavuma sustained the injury earlier this month while diving to complete a run in an ODI against Ireland. It’s the same elbow he injured in 2022 during a T20I tour of India, which kept him out of South Africa’s England series later that year. The South African cricket board has yet to decide if he will remain in Bangladesh to support the team or return home to prepare with his domestic team, Lions, who start their first-class season next week.

Meanwhile, South Africa's victory in the first Test in Mirpur was powered by their "superstar Rolls Royce fast bowler" Kagiso Rabada, who took nine wickets in the match, including his 300th Test wicket. His outstanding performance, particularly in subcontinental conditions, drew praise from Conrad. “We are an inexperienced side, but we still need our leaders. KB led from the front there with the ball,” he said.

The South African side saw valuable contributions from both bat and ball in the Mirpur win. Kyle Verreynne scored his second Test century, and Tristan Stubbs, newly positioned at No. 3, played a crucial role in securing the chase. Conrad praised the team’s calm approach, noting, “The most pleasing thing for me was just the calmness that we showed throughout. There was nothing frantic about it, even when things were going against us.”

Currently, South Africa is fourth on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table and needs to win at least four of their remaining five matches in the WTC cycle to keep their chances for a final spot alive. Conrad remains optimistic but realistic, saying, “The World Test Championship is our World Cup, but we are not going to be building any sandcastles. You've got to allow yourself to dream, but it’s going to take a lot of graft, and we're a long way away from that still.”