Bavuma looking forward to rapid debut

When Temba Bavuma's parents planned their end-of-year holiday to the United States, they would not have thought it may clash with their son's Test debut. But that is exactly what has happened. Bavuma is likely to become South Africa's second new cap in as many matches after the stars aligned to pave the way for his promotion to international cricket.

Little more than a few months ago, Bavuma was regarded as a talented prospect whose chance in the national team would likely come, but not imminently. Since then, the retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy's knee niggle and Quinton de Kock's ankle ligament tear have fast-forwarded the rate of new batsmen into the South African Test XI. Dean Elgar has been able to establish himself as an opener, Faf du Plessis in the No. 3 spot, Stiaan van Zyl filled in for Duminy and now Bavuma is at the front of the queue.

He was the only other reserve batsman in the South African squad as it was originally announced, and in keeping with both the policy of promoting players who spend time with the squad before searching outside and a strategy which is set on using seven batsmen, one source described it as "fitting" that Bavuma plays at St George's Park. The man himself could not have asked for a better Christmas present.

"I'm looking forward to the prospect of making my debut here at St George's Park. I made my first-class debut here as well so it will be quite nice to make my debut for the national side as well," he said.

Bavuma's first-class average of 35.95 may not strike as significant enough to merit an international call-up but the 24-year-old's career has been on the rise since it began six seasons ago. He was the sixth-highest run-scorer in the first-class competition last season and was included in a South Africa A tour to Australia. There, he scored 162 in a match South Africa A won and shared a 343-run stand with Rilee Rossouw, who is also in the Test squad and next in line. Bavuma's maturity and even temperament have elevated him to vice-captain of his franchise, Lions, and earmarked him for the step-up.

Already, he has had a taste of the big time when he came on as a substitute fielder during the first Test. Bavuma was on the field for the entire West Indies innings and took two catches, including an impressive low grab at backward point. "It was quite exciting running on and fighting it out there with the guys. It gave me a sense of what it's like," he said. "When you walk onto the field and you look around, there's more people, the intensity of the play is higher. It feels different."

And it will be even more different this time because Bavuma will officially be on the team sheet and will be expected to do much more than just field. He will bat in the lower middle order, out of his regular spot, but somewhere he has had experience before. "I've batted in different positions over my domestic career so I know what to expect," Bavuma said.

Whether West Indies are similarly prepared will show in how they approach Bavuma's height. At 1.61 metres, Bavuma is seven centimetres shorter than England's James Taylor, and as a youngster was told he may not be tall enough to play cricket. "I've always been short, so my whole game is built around being short," he said. "There are disadvantages, but there also are benefits. I've heard from many bowlers that they struggle to find the right lengths bowling to me. In South Africa, it might be a disadvantage with the extra bounce in the wickets but I've played here."

That is not the only aspect of Bavuma's appearance that will be in the spotlight. If he plays, he will become the first black African batsman to play for South Africa in any format and only the sixth to don Test whites. He follows after Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam, Monde Zondeki, Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who was the last to play in January 2011. That means there has been an almost four-year long wait for a member of the country's majority population group to play in the nations' second-most popular sport, after football.

"I've come to realise there's a lot of people I do represent. I am not just playing for myself," Bavuma said. With that comes enormous pressure but Bavuma has a plan for handling it. "I think I'll just go out and play. I'll obviously be aware that there are people I represent and they will be looking at me to do well but it doesn't change the ball game for me." Somewhere in the United States, will be the two people who most want him to put on a good show and who he may feel he represents most.