Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned Temba Bavuma’s place in South Africa’s playing XI even if he is fit and available for their upcoming clash against Bangladesh in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 24. However, he missed their last game against England due to illness. Reeza Hendricks, who replaced him at the top of the order, used the opportunity by smashing a 75-ball 85 in their emphatic 229-run win.
Previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “It is Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The pitch is good for batting here. South Africa scored 399 in the last match. England made a mistake by asking them to bat first and they started hitting. Temba Bavuma didn’t play there. Don’t know if he will be available here. Will he be played if he is available? That’s the big question because Reeza Hendricks has done well and Quinton de Kock has already scored two centuries. So will you make Reeza sit out? You shouldn’t do that.”
Aakash Chopra also added that none of the middle-order batters can be dropped to accommodate the Proteas skipper as well. Meanwhile, Bavuma has managed just 59 runs in his three innings in the ongoing World Cup.
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“Rassie van der Dussen comes at No. 3. He has also scored runs, he has scored a century, and scored runs in the last match as well. Then comes Aiden Markram, who was the stand-in captain. Then Heinrich Klaasen, who just destroys everyone, and David Miller and Marco Jansen. Sorry Temba, there is no place getting created for you,” he added.
However, Aakash Chopra expects South Africa to attack the Bangladesh batters with their four-seam bowlers. He also picked them as the favourites heading into the game as well.
“This team also has a strong bowling attack. They have proper fast bowling, four fast bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi. I see these four playing in this match as well because they are not going to go with spin against Bangladesh,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
