GAINING GROUND: Bangladesh challenge gives Proteas the chance to prove their credentials

The Proteas are constantly trying to prove that their World Test Championship (WTC) title triumph in 2025 was not a “fluke”, as some pundits and cricket supporters from around the world have claimed since the memorable victory over Australia at Lord’s in London.

After recently edging the Australians 2-1 in their first home Test series since that famous success over them just more than a year ago, the South Africans have once again underlined their status as a supremely competitive Test side. The win over the Aussies further reaffirmed that coach Shukri Conrad’s men are not to be trifled with.

An emphatic victory over an inconsistent and unpredictable Bangladesh side in the two-match series would keep South Africa firmly in the reckoning to reach the next WTC final, in 2027. It would also further cement their status as one of the premier cricketing nations in the world.

In the last WTC cycle, the Proteas were accused of taking the easy route to the final by playing “weak teams”. The South Africans played 12 times during the league phase, losing thrice, drawing once and winning eight times. The teams they lost to were New Zealand (twice) and India (once). The sole stalemate of their successful campaign also came against the Indians.

The so-called weaker nations they faced to reach the final were West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Conrad’s charges won all those clashes to set up the final battle with the Aussies. They then won the one-off Test tussle against the formidable Baggy Greens by five wickets.

Perhaps the biggest reason this Proteas side is subjected to the disrespect it regularly receives from the global cricketing community is that the team is not littered with “superstars” in every position, as previous teams often were. In the past, the Proteas could call on recognised players such as Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Graeme Smith, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini and Herschelle Gibbs, just to name a handful.

However, just like Real Madrid’s most star-studded team, which featured superstars (also known as Galácticos) such as Ronaldo Nazário, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Raúl, Roberto Carlos and Iker Casillas, those Proteas failed to deliver the silverware they provided on paper.

Superstar factor

Of the current Proteas team, only fast bowler Kagiso Rabada fits the description of a superstar or Galáctico, especially in the commercial sense of the word. Of course, he also has the on-field performances and requisite aura to back it up.

Over the past two years, all-rounder Marco Jansen has grown extensively and appears to be well on his way to reaching this status. However, he remains humble.

Asked whether he sees himself as a superstar, Jansen said: “No. I just see myself as a kid from Klerksdorp. When I started playing cricket I did not even dream of getting in the top 10 of the bowling and all-rounder rankings. But fast-forward to now and I’ve been at the top of those lists. It’s surreal.”

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma says the team’s success, despite the lack of these heavyweight profiles in the side, is down to unity. “There’s just that oneness. A lot of the guys have bought into the vision that’s been set for the team. We play for each other and we play for the moments to do something special for the team,” said Bavuma.

“I can also say a lot about the coaching staff that is always pouring [their best efforts] into the team. Something special is brewing within this group. We’ve surpassed a lot of the targets that we set for ourselves, and that’s because of that belief and that oneness we have as a team. As long as we keep that, we will keep achieving what we are achieving… Two years ago, did I think we’d be in this position? Probably not,” Bavuma added.

Tests standing test of time

The T20 format has steered upcoming cricketers towards trying to emulate the playing style of former Proteas superstar batter De Villiers. With innovative shots and flair, De Villiers was essentially the cricket version of Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho. Both of them played with unmatched freedom and ingenuity, with this side of De Villiers ­particularly shining through in the limited-­overs formats.

Despite the general leaning towards T20 cricket in recent years, as well as the paltry crowds from their first two Test matches against Australia in Durban and Gqeberha (at least Cape Town offered redemption in the decisive game), Jansen believes that Test cricket is still elite and loved. This is despite the series against Australia marking South Africa’s first Test appearance in just under a year.

“Test cricket is currently in a very good spot. Especially when you have matches going all the way to day five, it makes the game much more attractive… Also, as a player it’s nice to be a part of those games, even though it’s not always the best for your body. It’s very rewarding if you are on the right side of it,” Jansen explained.

The Proteas have also been guilty of plunging themselves into awkward situations because of poor game management. But Jansen insists that this is not intentional, although he appreciates the team’s ability to pull itself out of these deep and dark holes most of the time.

“The plan is always to start the game off on a good note and finish it on a good note. But we know that as cricketers, the other team can also play really well. And if they do so, what are we going to do about it? That’s where we struggled a bit in the past. But we’ve grown to manage those situations a bit better and think much clearer,” he said.

Bavuma added: “Resilience is a word we speak about often as the Proteas. Resilience is also something that features massively in my own cricketing career. I’d love for us to be a side that plays more from the front.

“But if us being resilient and having to fight back from tough positions gets the best out of us, we’ll keep riding that wave as long as it bears us good fruits.”

With Bangladesh being one of the so-called low-hanging fruit that the Proteas harvested on the way to reaching the previous WTC final, an assertive victory will be vital in order to silence the team’s critics. A win will also lay a solid foundation for the limited-­overs series that will follow against the same opponents in December. DM

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