On October 20, 2026, Temba Bavuma scored a career-high 179 on the third day of the second Test match against Australia at St George’s Park. After the team resumed day three at 97-5, South Africa recovered from a precarious 110-6 to post 425 for nine declared, with Bavuma’s innings serving as the cornerstone. During the first two rain-shortened days, the South African captain batted in bowler-friendly conditions before picking up speed on the third morning.
Temba Bavuma struck a career-best 179 on the third day of the second Test
During his time at the crease, Temba Bavuma hit 18 fours and a six off of 334 balls. After his innings, the captain talked about the difficulty of batting in challenging circumstances and how hardship influenced his strategy. His previous Test top score of 172 was surpassed by this, his first century against Australia and his fifth Test century.
When he reached the crease, the pitch and the overheads were all in the bowlers’ favor. We had already lost two wickets. I have frequently found myself in those circumstances. I think it brings out the best in me. It was the same from an approach perspective. “I’ve always approached it that way—got myself stuck in,” Temba Bavuma stated during the press conference, as cited.
“Making the team competitive is something I take great pride in. I was able to score this time, which was different from a personal perspective,” he continued.
Before Jansen left after scoring 85, Bavuma’s partnership with Jansen produced 132 runs for the seventh wicket off 186 balls. After Jansen was dismissed, Temba Bavuma and Simon Harmer formed an eighth-wicket partnership that set a South African Test record. Together, they scored 182 runs, with Harmer adding 82 to help South Africa surpass 400. In order to stabilize the innings, Temba Bavuma thanked his lower-order partners.
“Marco challenged the bowlers.” Both the gaps in the field and the middle of the bat were visible to him. Simon did his best. They sell their wickets for a lot of money,” Temba Bavuma remarked.
Building a competitive total depended heavily on the captain’s ability to construct a substantial innings with support from the lower order. Bavuma thought about how hard it was to keep up his strategy over the long innings. It wasn’t, in my opinion, simpler to bat. From a mental perspective, I didn’t see any significant changes.
I constantly tried to hit the ball as straight and tightly as I could. “And to prolong that strategy for as long as I could,” he stated. I never felt like I belonged. A ball would occasionally jump off a length or nip around. However, you did feel a little more at ease once the ball became a little softer, according to Temba Bavuma.
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With 30 minutes left in the day, Temba Bavuma was finally caught behind Mitchell Starc. Nic Maddinson, who edged Kagiso Rabada to the slips for a duck in the first over, started Australia’s reply. At Kingsmead from October 9–13, 2026, Australia won the first Test by 214 runs, leaving South Africa at a 1-0 series deficit. Bavuma emphasized the significance of South Africa’s bowling performance over the next two days in anticipation of Australia’s innings.
He stated, “We will need to spend most of those two days in the field if we want to get on the right side of the outcome.” We have to spend the nite mentally preparing for that. The pitch still has something in it, particularly with that new ball. Anything is possible if we can keep the ball in the proper position for a significant period of time. We’ll do everything in our power to make our goal of winning a reality,” Bavuma said.
