We have target on our backs but South Africa walk proudly as Test Champions: Bavuma

In a bid to secure a spot in the 2027 World Test Championship Final, South Africa is set to commence their home stretch with a three-match Test series against Australia this October. Captain Temba Bavuma acknowledges that the defending champions will face teams with heightened motivation to defeat them, but South Africa must rise to the occasion.

This series will mark the first time in over a year that South Africa will play more than two Tests against an opponent, following their successful runs against Pakistan, Zimbabwe and India since winning the 2025 WTC Final.

Bavuma expressed to South Africa's Times Live, "There is a target on our backs, if I could say it that way." He emphasized that the teams facing South Africa now will aim to put their talents against the No 1 team. If pressure arises, it is for South Africa to absorb and overcome it.

The team has made substantial foundational progress, and Bavuma is confident that this will not alter their identity. He stated, "We know what we want to achieve; a lot of that identity has been set. It is just a case of finding a way to exceed the standards that we have set for ourselves in the past." He also mentioned, "We walk around proudly as Test Championship champions. Being in the changeroom, I don't see guys scared when we talk about that."

The series against Australia will initiate a home Test season for South Africa, during which they will host Bangladesh for two Test matches and England for three.