Temba Bavuma is no less than a role model for his countrymen. First, he made himself a name with his gritty knocks. And now he is lifting South Africa with his captaincy.
Bavuma’s rise to captaincy has been steady—starting with white-ball cricket and later leading the Test side with great success.
Latest Update: South Africa thrashed India by 408 runs in the 2nd Test at Guwahati to seal a historic 2–0 series whitewash, their first in India after 25 years. Harmer’s 6/37, Maharaj’s late strikes and Jansen’s brilliant catch bundled India out for 140 in the final innings. India were dismissed for 201 & 140, never crossing 250 in the series. This is India’s biggest home Test defeat by runs and South Africa’s first whitewash against India since 2000.
With South Africa’s win in Raipur, the ODI series stands perfectly poised at 1–1, setting up a high-stakes decider in the final match.
And here we look at Temba Bavuma’s captaincy record in all formats of cricket.
Temba Bavuma Captaincy Record in All Formats
| Format | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | Draw | NR | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 91.67% |
| ODI | 48 | 26 | 21 | 0 | – | 1 | 55.31% |
| T20I | 25 | 15 | 9 | 0 | – | 1 | 62.50% |
| Total | 85 | 52 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 62.65% |
After Quinton de Kock didn’t take up full-time captaincy, South Africa wanted a new leader. And they zeroed in on Bavuma.
He initially started white-ball assignments in 2021 before the Test mantle fell on his shoulder in 2023. Thus far, Bavuma’s captaincy has done wonders.
He has fetched 52 victories in 85 matches he has led South Africa in. The highlight of his tenure has been the World Test Championship (WTC) victory in 2025.
1. Temba Bavuma Captaincy Record in Test Cricket
| Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 91.67 |
Bavuma has taken the Test captaincy by storm. Ever since he assumed the charge in 2023, South Africa are yet to lose a Test.
ICC POSTER FOR CAPTAIN TEMBA BAVUMA. 🌟🇿🇦
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) November 26, 2025
– What a Captain! pic.twitter.com/jX9MSuUqbA
Bavuma is just the second captain not to concede a defeat in his first 12 Tests. He is also the second skipper to fetch 10 Test victories in his first 11 matches. That’s some record to boast about!
What makes this wonderful captaincy start even better is the WTC success. South Africa had lost three of their four Tests in the cycle. And the WTC final dream looked distant.
But the Proteas staged a comeback. They won seven straight matches, five under Bavuma, to make the final and eventually lift the Test mace.
Also See: World Test Championship 2025
2. Temba Bavuma Captaincy Record in ODI Cricket
| Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | 26 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 55.31 |
Bavuma’s captaincy has brought mixed results in ODIs. South Africa lost two home series against Pakistan and one against Bangladesh. They even went down against Afghanistan in the UAE.
Bavuma also failed to make the final of the 2023 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. So it’s been a topsy-turvy ride.
In 48 matches at the helm, Bavuma has returned with 26 victories. While the letdown in ICC events has stung hard, he would like to overcome it with a home World Cup win in 2027.
Also Read: Mitchell Marsh Captaincy Record
3. Temba Bavuma Captaincy Record in T20I Cricket
| Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 62.50 |
Bavuma’s T20I captaincy reign lasted across two T20 World Cups. He was given the charge a few months before the 2021 edition. And he stepped down after a mixed 2022 edition.
In this one-and-a-half-year period, South Africa pulled off 15 wins in 25 matches. Bavuma almost took them into the semi-final of the 2021 T20 World Cup. But a poor run rate meant they failed to qualify.
Like to know? Aiden Markram Captaincy Record
The 2022 edition started well for the Proteas. But two shocking losses ended their campaign in the group stage. This led to Bavuma’s resignation.
Nevertheless, his win percentage of 60 is the third-highest among South African captains who’ve led in at least 20 T20Is.
4. Temba Bavuma Captaincy Record in Domestic T20 Cricket
| Tournament | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSA T20 Challenge | 17 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 76.47 |
| Mzansi Super League | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Bavuma’s captaincy stint in domestic T20 cricket is full of highs and lows. The highs came with Lions in South Africa’s domestic T20 tournament.
Bavuma captained Lions to two championships in 2019 and 2021. Lions lost just three matches across two seasons under Bavuma, making them a dominant force.
But Bavuma hit rock bottom with Jozi Stars in the 2019 Mzansi Super League. He couldn’t produce even a single win of the seven matches he led in. The result? Jozi Stars finished at the bottom.
Temba Bavuma may have had an up-and-down journey as a white-ball leader, but his impact—especially in Test cricket—has been nothing short of exceptional. With a historic unbeaten run in Tests, a growing list of domestic trophies, and a leadership style rooted in calmness and grit, Bavuma continues to inspire. While his ICC tournament results in ODIs and T20Is have been mixed, he remains a key figure in South Africa’s leadership group heading into future campaigns.
