Did Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant cross the line? South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma breaks silence on ‘bauna’ controversy
Addressing the ‘Bauna’ controversy in the IND vs SA Test series, Temba Bavuma revealed that he spoke directly to Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. Bavuma said that after the meeting on the field, the issue was discussed calmly and mutual respect and clarity were emphasized.
South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma has finally addressed the unpleasant comment made against India during the series and revealed that both Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant have apologized to him. He also discussed Shukri Conrad’s “despicable” statement following the Test series victory.
South Africa won the Test series by a score of 2-0, marking the end of a 25-year wait for a Test series win in India. However, a controversy broke out after Pant and Bumrah referred to Bavuma as a bauna term meaning dwarf. Bavuma shared that when these players apologized, he was unaware of the situation and had to consult the media manager.
Bavuma was quoted as telling ESPN Cricinfo: “I know there was an incident where they said something about me in their own language from my perspective. At the end of the day, two senior players, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, came and apologized. When the apology was made, I had no knowledge of what it was about, I had not heard of it at the time and had to speak to our media manager about it.”
“What happens on the field stays on the field, but you don’t forget what was said. You use it as fuel and motivation, but there is no grudge per se,” he added.
Another controversy arose when Conrad announced that he wanted the hosts to beg during this Test series. The comment was likened to former England captain Tony Greig’s controversial comments regarding the West Indies. Bavuma acknowledged that Conrad could have chosen his words more wisely.
“Shukri’s ‘vile’ remark also received some backlash. I was put under pressure from the media on that side, they wanted me to explain the comments made. I thought Shukri was the best placed person to give the context of all this,” he added.
“It had a sour taste when I first heard it but I think it reminded me of how tough and competitive the Test series was and what it meant to some individuals within the group. Shukri spoke after the ODI series and put that to rest. Looking back, he said he could have chosen a better word and I agree with him.”
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