South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma has suffered a recurrence of an elbow injury and has been ruled out of the domestic first-class final, just over two months before the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June.
Bavuma was expected to join the Lions squad on Tuesday ahead of their clash against the Titans in Johannesburg, but he never made the trip from Cape Town. The Lions were only informed late on Wednesday that he would not be available due to the injury.
The setback affects Bavuma’s left elbow — the same one he has injured in the past. At this stage, the Lions are unsure of the severity of the issue and were reportedly surprised by his late withdrawal. Team captain Dominic Hendricks had earlier expressed his excitement about playing alongside Bavuma in the final.
This latest injury adds to a troubling history with the elbow. Bavuma first fractured it in 2022, which ruled him out of South Africa’s tour to England and sidelined him for three months. He then aggravated the same elbow last year during an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi, forcing him to miss the Bangladesh Test series. His return to red-ball cricket had already been delayed, and he has openly discussed the mental challenges that have accompanied his frequent injury setbacks, which also include hamstring issues.
Despite those obstacles, Bavuma made a strong comeback with two centuries and four fifty-plus scores across four Tests, and he captained South Africa to the Champions Trophy semi-finals. Throughout that campaign, he batted with heavy strapping on his elbow.
Since the Champions Trophy, Bavuma hasn’t featured in any competitive matches but was present with the Lions during their final first-class league game in Bloemfontein last week, which was abandoned due to rain. He then traveled to Cape Town and was set to return for the final, but the injury has now ruled him out.
With the WTC final against Australia set to begin on June 11, South Africa have about eight weeks to prepare. They plan to begin practice matches in mid-May, including one against an international opponent in England. The team won’t play any official fixtures before the final, as several squad members are currently involved in IPL 2025 or playing county cricket.
Bavuma, who was recently included in CSA’s centrally contracted players list, had no overseas commitments and the domestic final was supposed to be his last appearance of the season — until this latest injury derailed those plans.
