Elgar, Bavuma handed reins to lead the Proteas

Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma have been named as the captains of the Proteas Test and limited overs teams.

Opening batsman Elgar will take the reins into the next cycle of the ICC World Test Championship, while Bavuma will lead the Proteas in the 2021 and 2022 ICC men’s T20 World Cups as well as the ICC men’s World Cup in 2023.

“We are grateful to Quinton de Kock for the work he has put in as captain of the team in the limited overs formats and are indebted to him for stepping up while the National Selection Panel continued its search for the Test captain,” said CSA’s director of cricket Graeme Smith on Thursday.

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“We expect him to still play an integral role in the team’s leadership group, but we are pleased with the appointments of Temba and Dean and believe that we have the men who will lead the Proteas back to their winning ways of old. The pair bring the required stability in both leadership and form to turn the ship in the direction that will eventually bring trophies back to the cabinets.

Bavuma said he was honoured and delighted to lead the Proteas for the first time. “Captaining the Proteas has been a dream of mine for many years as those closest to me would know,” he said.

Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas at ODI and T20 level. Picture: Getty Images

“This is one of the greatest honours of my life so far and I am looking forward to picking up where Quinny (de Kock) has left off in leading the team into the new culture that we have developed and continue to work on.

“The responsibility of captaining one’s country is not one I take lightly, and I am looking forward to this new challenge and journey with Dean in the Test cricket format, as well as leading the team to not just one, but three ICC World Cups in the very near future.”

Elgar echoed Bavuma’s words, saying: “I’ve always said that to captain your country in any form of the game is the biggest honour that a player can be fortunate to receive. To captain my country’s Test team, which I believe to be the pinnacle of the game, is the biggest highlight of my career and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my country in such an important way.”

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