Proteas still far off their best despite Australia ODI series win, says captain Temba Bavuma

The Proteas may have left Australia with their fifth straight ODI series triumph over their arch-rivals, but the road ahead to the 2027 World Cup remains a long one.

The record-breaking 276-run defeat in the final match of the tour in Mackay on Sunday illustrated just how vulnerable the side remains. While it hardly diminished the excellence of their earlier play, which yielded comprehensive wins in the first two matches, the weaknesses in particular the seam bowling depth cannot be disguised. 

The Proteas were without Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger - both rested after their exertions on the first two-matches - and the injured Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen.

But so were Australia devoid of their first-choice World Cup-winning pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. 

Captain Temba Bavuma was therefore forthright in his assessment of the 2-1 series victory. 

“To be honest, I think we're quite far (from being a settled unit),” Bavuma said. “I mean, as you would have seen within the team now, you're seeing new faces in the team. 

“And I think that's all part of us being in that exploration phase, if I could say. Getting to understand guys, you know, what roles that they can fulfil within the team.

“Understanding what they bring in from a personality point of view. We do have time. I think it's probably two years or so left, two years still.

“So, yeah, we're definitely not close to where we want to be as a team. I think as much as we won the series, but we felt that we weren't anywhere near our best. So I guess that's exciting as well to see us, you know, when we start playing close to 100%.”

Bavuma, though, feels that his young attack, led by 19-year-old Kwena Maphaka on Sunday, would have learnt a great deal from conceding 431/2, especially during the brutal onslaught from openers Travis Head (142 off 103 balls, 17x4, 5x6) and Mitchell Marsh (100 off 106 balls (6x4, 5x6) before Cameron Green (118* off 55 balls) and Alex Carey (50* off 37 balls) closed off the Australian innings in belligerent fashion.

“When they put us under pressure, we weren't able to come up with any type of solutions for that. So from a control point of view, that definitely wasn't there,” Bavuma explained. 

“I mean, yeah, you could say inexperience, but I think the guys play a lot of cricket nowadays to be able to get the necessary knowledge. But I think it's like I said in the post-match chat that it is a learning curve, not just for the younger guys, but for even the batters.

“You know, it's not every day where you get to where you are chasing 420. So to be able to come up with some type of formula, if there is a formula, you know, that's something that we kind of need to get to terms with.

“But saying that, It's never easy coming to Australia, whatever team that the guys put out. Especially for the younger dudes as well, to keep building on that belief that we can win away from home. 

“So I think that's a big thing. And then just in terms of what we're trying to build and achieve as a team, keep building on that winning habit that we want to be known for.”

The Proteas head straight to the UK on Monday for another white-ball tour where they will face England in three ODI’s and three T20I’s where the side will be boosted by the experience of David Miller, Rabada and Jansen.