Temba Bavuma, who leads South Africa's limited-overs side, admitted on Thursday that failing to be selected in the inaugural SA20 auction was a disappointing blow. The 32-year-old had been looking forward to playing a part in the birth of this new league, making the lack of interest from teams even harder to take.
After the auction ended without a single bid for him, Bavuma confessed to feeling discouraged. The Proteas captain stated that he couldn't pretend to be unfazed, as he had truly expected to be part of the event. He also revealed that his family shared in this disappointment, making the situation more personal.
Bavuma expressed a sense of being let down by the process, although he decided that now isn't the time to analyze the situation in depth. He has since pivoted his focus toward preparing for the T20 World Cup and the tour of India. Notably, he and Andile Phehlukwayo were the only members of the national squad heading to India who failed to find a buyer in the SA20 auction.
Both players had requested a base price of 850,000 Rand (approx. $48,000), yet every other national player was signed for at least 1.5 million Rand. Another surprising outcome was the omission of Test captain Dean Elgar, who also went unsold. On a brighter note, Donavon Ferreira and fast bowler Sisanda Magala, neither of whom are traveling to India, were successfully picked up by teams.
The standout acquisition of the auction was 22-year-old Tristan Stubbs, who commanded a massive 9.2 million Rand from the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. He was followed by Rilee Rossouw, who joined the Pretoria Capitals for 6.9 million Rand, and Marco Jansen, who was snapped up by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape for 6.1 million Rand.
South Africa's head coach, Mark Boucher, stepped up to support his captain, stating that the squad understands the circumstances. Boucher emphasized that Bavuma remains their leader and has the full confidence of the management. Highlighting Bavuma's energy and influence, Boucher asserted that the captain will be an essential asset as the team heads into a major tournament like the World Cup.
To gear up for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, South Africa is set to play India in a series consisting of three T20Is and three ODIs. The action kicks off with the first T20I on September 28.