Temba Bavuma recalls watching Rohit Sharma as a 'Schoolboy', says this about Virat Kohli

South Africa National Cricket Team captain Temba Bavuma admitted that facing India with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the lineup is always a tough challenge. The Proteas, who had whitewashed India 2-0 in the recent Test series, struggled again as Kohli and Rohit starred in the first ODI in Ranchi.

Kohli scored his 52nd ODI century, while Rohit contributed a valuable 57, helping India thrash South Africa by 17 runs in the first ODI in Ranchi on November 30 and take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match ODI series. The second ODI is scheduled for December 3 in Raipur.

Temba Bavuma admits India become a different beast with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the side

Ahead of the crucial Raipur ODI, Bavuma acknowledged that having two such experienced and highly skilled players in the Indian cricket team makes the hosts even stronger.

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He emphasized that the challenge is familiar, but Kohli and Rohit’s presence always adds significant pressure on the opposition and makes the Men in Blue an even stronger lineup.

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Temba Bavuma told the media, as quoted by PTI, ahead of South Africa's training session at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Stadium, “The inclusion of those two guys does bolster the team. Like we said at the start of the series, these are two guys who have a lot of experience and a lot of skill, and that can only benefit the team. It is not something that we are not aware of.”

Temba Bavuma recalls watching Rohit Sharma as a Schoolboy

Reflecting on their long careers, Bavuma recalled watching a young Rohit Sharma in the 2007 T20 World Cup, which India won under MS Dhoni’s captaincy in South Africa, when he was still in school. Now, the 38-year-old opener plays only ODI format.

He noted that both Kohli and Rohit have been around for years, consistently performing at the highest level, and their abilities continue to make them a threat to any team.

The South African captain further added, “We played against Rohit… I think it was in 2007, the T20 World Cup; I was still in school then. I mean, these guys have been around, so there is nothing new. These are world-class players.”

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Temba Bavuma pushes for longer Test series, says two matches against India “Not Enough”

Meanwhile, Temba Bavuma revealed that the South Africa players have been wanting more Test cricket, especially against big teams like India. The skipper said that the recent two-match Test series against India felt too short, and many in the squad wished it had been a three- or four-match contest because stronger opponents push the team to perform better.

Furthermore, Bavuma added that decisions about scheduling and arranging longer series are not in the hands of the players, saying those responsibilities lie with the Cricket South Africa (CSA) officials. He even joked that some players are eager for a longer series soon because they are getting older and may not have many chances left to play a four-match Test series against India.

Bavuma signed off by saying, “All of us have been crying for more cricket, especially against the top nations. It’s up to the administrators, but we would love to play more than 2 Test series in the near future. Some of us are getting a little bit old, so we won't be able to wait for too long to play another 4-match Test series against India.”