Langa’s legend is present: Temba Bavuma’s ‘goosebumps’ moment in Delhi with Proteas

Proteas Test and ODI captain, Temba Bavuma, got goosebumps after seeing his teammates for the first time at the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Delhi on Wednesday.

Bavuma has become a prominent figure in South African cricket. Now, after leading South Africa to their first ICC trophy in almost three decades last year at Lord's in London when they beat Australia to win the World Test Championship final, his stardom in South Africa and around the world is at the all time high. 

During the subsequent Mace tour around the country, fans turned out in thousands to meet South Africa's hero and his squad following a landmark achievement for the sport. Most recently, Bavuma led a young Proteas Test side to India for a two-match series; despite being written off by many, they defied the odds to win both matches, securing a Test series victory in India for the first time in 25 years.

Since these achievements, Bavuma has earned immense respect from global cricket fans. Although he is not part of the current T20 World Cup Proteas squad, he is serving as a commentator for the tournament. On Wednesday, he called his first Proteas match as Aiden Markram's men clinically defeated the UAE by six wickets.

Before the game, as both teams warmed up, Bavuma met with Markram, coach Shukri Conrad, and several players — an encounter he described as emotional.

"It was nice earlier to see some of the boys," he said. "I kind of got a little bit of goosebumps."

Bavuma’s presence will undoubtedly inspire the Proteas to dig deep as they head into a critical week. South Africa find themselves in a challenging Super 8 group alongside India, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe.

The Proteas will need every ounce of inspiration as they prepare for their first Super 8 fixture against India on Sunday.

* Ongama Gcwabe is a prominent sports journalist. Writing for Independent Media as a senior contributor, he is recognised for his expertise in SA cricket