'Not close to where we want to be...': Temba Bavuma's blunt verdict following South Africa's 276-run drubbing against Australia

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma feels that the team is 'not close' to where they want it to be ffollowing their heavy 276-run deffeat against Australia in the third and final ODI of the series. Though the Proteas did end up winning the one-day series by 2-1, the massive loss in the third match could have severely affected the morale of the team.

Following the conclusion of the match, Bavuma stated that the team is going through a transition phase and they are identifying which player can fulfill specific roles. The team is trying to build thmselves up for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which they will be co-hosting alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia.

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"You're seeing new faces in the team and that's all part of us being in that exploration phase. We're getting to understand guys, what roles they can fulfil within the team and what they bring in from a personality point of view. We have time. There are two years left, and we're definitely not close to where we want to be as a team," Bavuma said after the match.

On the other hand, Bavuma also shared his views on Dewald Brevis' performance in the ODI series against Australia. After starring with the bat in the T20I assignment, Brevis failed to deliver in the one-day games and could only manage to score a total of 56 runs in the three ODIs. Bavuma believes that the 22-year-old will develop a sense of batsmanship as he continues featuring for the side in future assignment.

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"It's refreshing watching him kind of go about his business. He's not fazed by anything. What's also quite refreshing is seeing his reaction when he does go out. For him, it's all about, he should have hit the ball harder. Maybe the more experienced guys will be thinking, was that a good decision or not? But there's an exuberance of youth from him. The longer he plays, the more he'll start getting a little bit more batsmanship in his game, especially in the longer formats. For now, it's entertaining for not just the fans, but for us within the team as well," Bavuma stated.

South Africa to play England next

Meanwhile, South Africa's tour of Australia came to an end with the third and final ODI of the series in Mackay. Though the Proteas won the one-day assignment, they ended up on the losing side in the T20I series. They will soon be heading to England for another white-ball tour where they will once again be participating in a three-match ODI and T20I series.