Bavuma back as South Africa eye spot in World Test Championship final

Johannesburg: Batsman Temba Bavuma has recovered from an elbow injury and will captain South Africa in a two Test home series against Sri Lanka, which...

Johannesburg: Batsman Temba Bavuma has recovered from an elbow injury and will captain South Africa in a two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, which starts next Wednesday in Durban.

If the Proteas can beat Sri Lanka twice, and also win two Tests against visiting Pakistan later this season, they will qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final next June.

Bavuma has not played since early October, when he was hurt diving during a one-day international against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.

The 34-year-old last featured in a Test three months ago, against the West Indies in Guyana. In his absence, Aiden Markham led South Africa to a 2-0 series win in Bangladesh.

“Temba is going in cold on the back of not having played any matches, but we are going to simulate match situations in our camp,” head coach Shukri Conrad told a press conference on Tuesday.