Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is focusing on building fitness with the Lions to prepare for the upcoming Australian series, as coach Shukri Conrad prioritises his rehabilitation and readiness for the Test matches. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad is quite content to wrap Temba Bavuma in cotton wool at this early stage of the season, particularly with major series against Australia and England on the horizon.
Bavuma, who captains the Proteas ODI and Test teams, has not played any international cricket since December last year. He has also only been limited to a couple of innings in the newly-formed EUT20 Belgium franchise league back in June.
The upcoming white-ball tour to Namibia therefore seemed an ideal time to ease Bavuma back into the international arena, but instead his Lions teammate Bjorn Fortuin will lead the Proteas in Windhoek.
Bavuma has, of course, suffered numerous injury setbacks over the past couple of years, including hamstring, calf, and elbow niggles, which is why Conrad feels that it's best for the 36-year-old to continue his rehabilitation with the Lions in domestic cricket.
