Temba Bavuma has been in the news in recent times. He has scored a match-winning knock in South Africa’s seven-wicket victory over England in the first one-day international at Newlands on Tuesday. However, he thinks this will help to finish the debate on whether he deserves his place in the playing XI or not. Batting at number three, his stable 98 comes after a long time in which he was dropped from the test side for a home series against England that they lost 3-1 as well.

“It has been hard. It’s not so much the dropping part, all players get dropped, everyone goes through slumps of not scoring well,” Bavuma told reporters. “The awkwardness and discomfort from my side is when you are thrown into talks of transformation.”

“Yes, I am black, that’s my skin. But I play cricket because I love it. I’d like to think the reason I am in the team is because of performances I have put forward in my franchise side, and also for the national team, whenever I have been able to,” Temba Bavuma shared.

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The 29-year-old has also talked about the double standards in the transformation debate.

“The one thing that irks me is when you are seen through the eyes of transformation,” he said. “When you do well, transformation is not spoken about but when you do badly transformation is thrown at the top of the agenda. I have a serious problem with that. We’ve got to be able to take the good with the bad. If transformation is bad when black African players are not doing well, then when we are doing well, let’s also recognise transformation for what it’s done.”

However, the talented batsman has already said that he is not taking his place for granted.

“I don’t think I have nailed my spot in the side. This was just my third game and I am just happy to be on the field,” Temba Bavuma added. “I don’t know what’s going to happen after this series or next week. It’s just to enjoy the little moments I have.”