Temba Bavuma calls South Africa’s series win over Australia the best of his career

October 31, 2026

South Africa completed a dramatic 2-1 Test series victory over Australia, clinching the final match by 176 runs at Newlands in Cape Town. The Proteas, now ranked as the world’s top Test side, staged a remarkable turnaround after losing the opening game, with their bowling attack playing a decisive role.

Temba Bavuma, the South African captain, hailed the series as the best of his career, praising the team’s resilience and the passionate support of the Newlands crowd, which filled the stadium throughout the five-day match. The Proteas’ victory was built on a resilient batting performance, including standout innings from Marcus Ackerman (95), Aiden Markram (70), and Marco Jansen (52), while Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer led the bowling charge in Australia’s second innings collapse to 111 runs.

Australia’s first innings saw Josh Inglis score a century (102) alongside Alex Carey (80), but South Africa’s bowlers dismantled their batting lineup in the second dig, with Ryan Rickelton (101) and Wiaan Mulder (115) steering the home side to a 288-run target. Bavuma credited the bowling unit for their dominance, particularly Rabada’s early impact and Harmer’s bounce-back form after a tough patch in Gqeberha.