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In the opening session of the Boxing Day Test against
India, Temba Bavuma strained his left hamstring, which cast doubt on his
ability to play. In the twentieth over, Bavuma exited the pitch and was
promptly sent for a scan. He will “undergo daily medical evaluations to
determine” whether he will play any more in the game, according to a
statement from Cricket South Africa.
When Virat Kohli drove Marco Jansen through additional
cover while Bavuma was fielding at mid-off, he pursued. Bavuma did not need to
dive to drag the ball in since it stopped before it reached the boundary, but
as he caught up to it, he grasped his hamstring and fell with pain. After
receiving care on the pitch, he left without assistance. In his final series,
former Test captain Dean Elgar appeared to have assumed leadership
responsibilities as he moved from slip to mid-off.
Bavuma had not played since South Africa’s loss to
Australia in the 50-over World Cup semi-final on November 16 due to a right
hamstring issue. On November 10, in their last group encounter against
Afghanistan in Ahmedabad, Bavuma sustained the injury while fielding, but he
did not come off the pitch; instead, he batted for 49 minutes as South Africa
successfully chased 245 runs.
Bavuma was scheduled to play a four-day first-class
match between December 14 and 17 to get ready for the Test series, but they
were rested from their next assignment, which consisted of three Twenty20
Internationals and three One-Day Internationals against India, which began on
December 10. A family bereavement kept him from the game. Bavuma told reporters
the night before the Test that he was “mentally as fresh as ever,”
and he was a constant presence on the pitch for the first ninety minutes of
play (which began thirty minutes later than scheduled due to rain the previous
evening).
Bavuma’s external injury prevents him from being
replaced, thus if he is unable to bat, South Africa would be shorthanded in
players for the remainder of the match. He might also pose a doubt for the New
Year’s Test. The second Test starts on January 3 in Cape Town.