Not gonna lie, I’m not disappointed seeing Temba Bavuma miss out on the tour to England next month.
Before picking up an elbow injury in the recent T20 series in India, the heat was on the white-ball skipper.
He sukkeled big time against Bhuvneshwar Kumar and didn’t look at his best opening the batting against the Indians.
With an average of 26.76 and strike rate of 120.6, his numbers aren’t what you would expect from an nailed-on opener at the top of the T20 game.
There have long been criticisms about his suitability at the top of the order.
But his ability to manipulate the field with his quick running between the wickets and his assured approach is all part of the Proteas’ game plan.
Rotating the strike, maintaining a disruptive left-right batting combination and anchoring the innings is what his game is all about.
However, when he is not doing that, he is not going to moer bowlers out of the park.
And with the World Cup coming up in October, the knives are out.
Bavuma was catching a lot of stick and with his status as the first black man to captain the Proteas, the social-media critics weren’t exactly giving him batting tips.
So when the news came this week that the 32-year-old was not going to play in the Proteas’ next five T20s, I thought being out of the spotlight might be a good thing.
Coach Mark Boucher, though, gave Temba his backing after the India series and says he has a plan to add more shots to the Kaapenaar’s arsenal.
And now might be the time for him to do his homework - after eight weeks of recovery from a elbow injury he picked up desperately scrambling for a run.
I might not be the best coach, but I have paar tips he could use.
1 - Clear your head
After his time in India and the noise around his role in the team, being at home is the best way to clear the mind.
It won’t be easy being away from the team, but a break from the noise and the pressure can do the world of good.
Focusing on recovery is the top priority.
And then when the mobility in the elbow comes back, your on to the next step.
2. Get your head in the game
With all the homework for the new batting plans, it’s time to get you head in the game.
Study up and visualise what needs to be done.
Net sessions with the bowling machine is going to be tedious, but it’s all part of the process.
It’s won’t be easy work, but you have to trust yourself and the coaching team are doing the right thing for you and your teammates.
Those new shots will have to become second nature by the time you’re ready to return to the team.
And with that likely to mean fewer games before the World Cup, there is no time to waste.
3. Get out of your crease
At 1.62m tall, Temba faces a tough challenge. Amper elke delivery is a bouncer.
Because of this, the best way to negate this is to get closer to the pitch of the ball.
Standing outside of the crease against quicker seamers can be a great intimidation tactic.
In fact any movement in the crease before a delivery can put the bowler off.
But increasing the distance between you and your stumps can already take away the threat of a LBW dismissal.
And that’s one less thing to worry about, if, of course the wicketkeeper doesn’t come up to the stumps.
Clearing the infield has got to be the main aim when you’ve got the kans in the power plays, so risk is always a factor inside those first four overs.
Being a short guy, you have to be strong off the back foot. So hooks, cuts any shot where the hitting zone is above the waist will be key to on the proverbial front foot.
Remember some of the most dominant batters in the game have been kort mannetjies - Sachin Tendulkar is just three centimetres taller, David Warner no taller than Lionel Messi with Brian Lara just an inch taller than both at 1.72m.
4. Transfer the pressure
One of the biggest criticisms Bavuma has been getting is that his lack of power hitting puts his partner under pressure.
That’s bound to happen when you play the anchorman.
Ideally you want to transfer that pressure on the bowler. But when you can’t get going, communication with your partner is key.
You are captain after all and you have a role to play. And in most cases, that’s making sure your big hitters have the majority of the strike.
5. Slaan die bekke toe
Finally, nothing is better than scoring runs.
That’s what’s give the team the best chance of winning. That’s what gets the crowd on the feet. That’s gives you confidence.
And it also shuts up the critics. So slaan some bekke toe.