South Africa captain Temba Bavuma previews India clash at Cricket World Cup
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma previews India clash at ICC Cricket World Cup
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00:00 Timber, you guys have had a pretty successful group
00:02 campaign to now-- and so have India.
00:04 And you can obviously see the sense of occasion around this.
00:06 Just how's everybody feeling and looking forward
00:08 to playing India in this venue with this type of crowd?
00:13 Yeah, there's a lot of excitement within our group.
00:18 I guess excitement of the occasion of playing here
00:20 at Eden Gardens.
00:22 Quite a lot of history about the ground.
00:24 But obviously, I think the more important one
00:27 is coming up against India, who are an informed side.
00:33 We are an informed side.
00:35 And we look forward to the opportunity
00:38 to test our skills against this Indian team.
00:41 Steve?
00:43 Thanks.
00:43 Timber, hi.
00:45 Just on your own form, the rest of the guys
00:48 are all making big runs.
00:51 Just from your own self-belief perspective,
00:54 how are you feeling about how you're playing
00:56 and wanting to make a contribution to the side?
00:59 Yeah, you always want to be making contributions.
01:02 Like you said, the other batters are smashing it at the moment.
01:06 I think I take comfort in the fact
01:08 that I've been involved in some partnerships with Kuni up front.
01:11 Obviously, you want to extend it.
01:15 I guess from my side, maybe it's just one of those patches
01:17 again where you're kind of scratching.
01:19 But I think you've got to keep that belief
01:22 that the opportunity will be there for me to make
01:24 a big play within the team.
01:26 And I think that's where my head is at.
01:28 But a lot of comfort in the fact that we've
01:31 been getting starts in that first 10 overs.
01:34 And obviously, with the guys being informed,
01:36 they've been able to exploit that and play
01:38 the way that they've played.
01:40 Tinnis?
01:41 Hello, Timber.
01:44 Up until now, you've almost been able to sail
01:47 on the radar in this World Cup.
01:48 I know you guys have obviously gained attention
01:50 as you've been successful.
01:52 But here you are, suddenly it's the full glare
01:54 of a game against India in a map stadium.
01:58 How do you-- do you have discussions
02:00 about not getting swept up by the occasion?
02:02 Or do you just try and look past it?
02:04 Yeah, we definitely do.
02:06 I think from the start of the tournament,
02:08 we spoke about just trying to take it game by game,
02:11 staying as present as we can.
02:14 I believe we've done that very well.
02:16 Obviously, like you've just said,
02:18 the news, the noise around the team,
02:21 that's grown, but I think it's for us to control our spaces
02:25 within the team.
02:27 But I guess also draw energy from, I guess,
02:30 the positive sentiment that's floating in and around
02:33 the team.
02:35 Probably hard for us to keep going as the underdogs,
02:38 but I think in terms of the team,
02:40 everything still stays the same.
02:41 We don't see ourselves any different.
02:44 We'll still take it day by day, game by game.
02:47 Thanks.
02:48 We're going to go to Tinnis and Hines,
02:49 and then we'll take one or two questions from this side.
02:52 Hi, Temba.
02:54 Quinny yesterday spoke about your form,
02:58 and he said that you look good, and you're hitting the ball
03:01 good.
03:02 You just, I think he said, you managed to find a way
03:04 to get yourself out.
03:05 And then he also said, but the team
03:07 believes that you being you, you will come up
03:10 with a big play for them when the team most need it.
03:14 Just firstly, is it frustrating to feel that you're in form
03:20 and then just manage to get out?
03:21 And secondly, how much confidence
03:24 do you take out of the fact that you have that sort of backing
03:27 from your teammates, that they just believe in you
03:29 and that you will come right somewhere along the line?
03:32 Yeah, I take a lot of confidence from that.
03:34 That's something that I feel every day within the team.
03:39 And I think it's probably due to the fact
03:41 that there's a group of batters who've
03:43 been with each other for the last three or four years,
03:45 however long it's been.
03:46 We've seen each other go through the little ups and the downs.
03:51 And we know that all of us mentally
03:53 have what it takes to get over, I guess, the little challenges
03:57 that we face.
03:59 I guess for me, I just need to keep sticking to my processes,
04:02 keep preparing as well as I can.
04:06 And if I'm doing that, hopefully the result
04:08 will take care of itself.
04:10 Mentally, obviously, got to keep staying there.
04:13 There's still a lot of cricket to go within this tournament.
04:16 And I believe that I'll have a part
04:18 to play somewhere within the tournament.
04:21 All right, and then we'll come to this side.
04:24 Temba, I think everybody is aware of the dangers that
04:29 are posed by this Indian attack and stuff.
04:31 And like you said, you guys try to stick to your processes.
04:35 And I'm pretty sure you guys know what the threat are.
04:37 But when you see a previous game like they
04:40 did against Sri Lanka, and you see they shoot these guys out
04:43 55, does that even make you more weary?
04:47 Or is that just something you feel, well, it happened.
04:50 We just have to move on?
04:52 No, I think you respect the strength and the threats
04:56 that they bring.
04:58 It's obviously a world-class bowling attack
05:03 in their condition.
05:04 So they know everything about these conditions.
05:08 So as bad as we do now, we're going
05:09 to have to have our A games up come tomorrow.
05:15 But when I say we stick to our processes,
05:17 we prepare as well as we can.
05:19 We try to cover all our bases, make sure that we're not
05:22 surprised by anything, and get ourselves into a space
05:26 where we can play our best cricket.
05:30 Hi, Temba.
05:31 I'm [INAUDIBLE] I work with the [INAUDIBLE] newspaper.
05:33 You mentioned drawing positive vibes from what's
05:36 happening around the team.
05:37 Now, sport unites a country.
05:39 How important has this campaign been,
05:41 the way it's been so far for South Africa?
05:45 I think it's been a good journey.
05:49 I think every day we've grown in belief and confidence
05:53 as a team.
05:54 We obviously came here with the aim of getting to the end.
05:59 And we're getting closer and closer to that.
06:02 And with that happening, with the performances
06:04 that we've put up, it's definitely
06:06 strengthened us within the team.
06:08 We've obviously taken note of outside the team, everything
06:11 that is happening, the performances
06:14 and success of the rugby team back home,
06:17 and the positive energy that we've gotten from the rugby
06:20 boys as well.
06:22 But I think with that all being said,
06:24 I think we still want to stay a lot more drawn to each other
06:29 as a team, control what we can control
06:31 within the team, regulate our emotions as much as we can,
06:36 and make sure we're in the best space possible
06:38 to play our best cricket the way we want to do it.
06:42 Have you talked about not to choke in this important match?
06:47 Because always they're called, and this strong batting
06:50 must have wiped away that tag to a certain extent.
06:57 To choke?
06:59 I don't know how to answer that.
07:00 I think if we come unstuck tomorrow,
07:02 I don't think it will be a matter of choking.
07:06 I doubt you would say that about India as well.
07:08 If they come unstuck, if they choke,
07:10 you've got two teams who are in form,
07:12 who are coming up against each other.
07:13 And I think it's just a matter of who breaks first
07:16 and who's able to, I guess, exploit
07:20 that moment or that weakness.
07:22 We understand that there will be pressure moments
07:26 within the World Cup, moments that we've overcome
07:29 to get to this point, and there will still be more.
07:32 We'll deal with them as best as we can.
07:36 But yeah, I haven't heard that word come up
07:39 as of yet in the changing.
07:41 Well, actually, the thing is that since the beginning
07:44 of the tournament, South Africa is literally
07:46 in a blasting mode.
07:48 And we can see that in every match
07:49 is they are achieving new highs.
07:51 But as far as the Eden pitch is concerned,
07:54 we normally see that the first inning's average batting
07:57 score is 245 and second innings is 206.
08:00 So what will be the strategy for that?
08:02 Our strategy, I haven't seen the wicket yet.
08:05 So I think first and foremost, that's where we'll start.
08:10 Once we've had a look at the wicket,
08:11 we'll obviously see what our team would look like.
08:16 If possible, I'd like to play both our front line spinners,
08:19 but we'll see how that comes about.
08:21 And then once we're in the game, again, we've
08:23 got to assess the conditions, take note of the fact
08:27 that what the average score is.
08:28 But we believe that with the makeup of our team,
08:32 we can get any score that we can.
08:36 And I think we are mindful of the fact
08:38 that it won't be a daily--
08:40 where it's a quick scoring ground.
08:43 We might have to graft a lot more.
08:45 You might have to hit a lot more balls on the ground.
08:49 But all of that will happen tomorrow.
08:51 We won't go in today with too many preconceived ideas.
08:55 We're going to start with an off-court question.
08:57 So if you can--
08:58 Yeah.
08:59 And we're going to go one, two, three,
09:00 and then we'll go to the after.
09:03 Sandeep here.
09:04 One of the most positive characteristics
09:07 of Indian bowling is their pace bowling attack.
09:11 And they are picking up wickets within the first 10 overs
09:14 regularly.
09:15 So do you have any specific plan how to tackle them
09:18 within the first power play?
09:19 I think it will just go to assessing the conditions,
09:24 to be honest.
09:26 We'll see what their threats are.
09:30 Like you said, those are bowlers who, if there's swing,
09:32 they'll exploit the swing.
09:33 If there's nip, they'll do the same.
09:36 If it means that we have to be a lot more compact early on,
09:39 so be it.
09:40 But it will really be about what the conditions are dictating
09:44 and forcing us to play.
09:50 [INAUDIBLE]
10:07 Again, I think it will depend on the conditions.
10:11 Like you said, Kul Ruviyadab, he's bowled very well.
10:15 He's been taking wickets for them in the middle.
10:18 In conjunction with Jadeja.
10:21 So they've been quite key within that middle phase.
10:24 I think we've played spin quite well as a team
10:26 over the last couple of years.
10:27 So it will be a good test for us batters
10:31 as to how we come up against that challenge of Yadav
10:34 as well as Jadeja.
10:37 Just wanted to locate the mic on this side.
10:39 Who's got the mic?
10:40 Thank you, Hans.
10:41 I think we'll just go for those.
10:43 And then we'll just wrap up with this gentleman in the front.
10:45 The mic's in the back there.
10:48 Tim, but just on the attack, I mean,
10:51 you've obviously come up against some quality attacks thus far.
10:54 Can you just describe a little bit about-- a little more
10:56 on what kind of challenge you expect them to present?
10:59 And I mean, you faced some of these guys before.
11:01 And kind of how you think your own bowlers stack up
11:03 against that.
11:06 Yeah, their bowlers, I mean, you don't get a lot of bad balls.
11:11 Like I said, the three up front, Bumrah, Siraj, as well as Shami
11:17 are guys who can exploit anything with that new ball.
11:20 If they swing, if there's nip, they can exploit that.
11:24 Quite attacking bowlers as well.
11:26 So I guess with that, there comes an opportunity to score.
11:32 But you really got to be on your A game with that new ball.
11:35 Then obviously, they've got their spinners in the middle
11:37 who really hold the game.
11:40 I mean, Yadav, as well as Jadeja,
11:41 Yadav has that ability to take wickets.
11:43 So I think the way we've played spin has been good.
11:48 I think there will be a big expectation for us to do that.
11:52 They obviously only have five bowlers.
11:54 So they can, I guess, be put under pressure
11:57 if one of their bowlers is not on their day.
12:02 But yeah, I think you've got to probably respect
12:04 their bowling attack a little bit more
12:07 than the other bowling attacks.
12:09 And understand that you're going to have to play good cricket
12:11 for longer periods.
12:13 One last one for the gentleman in front here.
12:16 Yeah.
12:24 Timber.
12:25 I'm Zafar Ali Khan from [INAUDIBLE]
12:28 You said it's a historic place here
12:31 because 10 of your players made their debut here
12:35 at this ground, except Kepler Vessels.
12:37 You know that.
12:38 So what do you expect for your team to perform?
12:43 Because as part of the game, what
12:51 do you expect from [INAUDIBLE] and Keshav Maharaj
12:54 to perform here?
12:56 Yeah, I think, I mean, if the wicket assists the spinners,
13:02 you'll definitely see those two.
13:05 And I mean, we saw why Keshav did the previous game.
13:08 On the wicket, they probably didn't offer a great deal
13:11 of spin.
13:11 But he was able to be super successful.
13:15 We saw Tabre Shamsy as well in Chennai,
13:19 as well showing what he did coming off the bench.
13:21 So I think that the strength of our team
13:25 has been around that, these guys coming off the bench
13:28 and putting in the performances.
13:31 I think there's not any additional pressure on those
13:33 two guys.
13:35 They'll just do what they've been doing
13:38 and we'll support and back them all the way.
13:40 I think in terms of the stadium as well,
13:43 I think it's just to save, I guess,
13:44 the occasion of playing at Eden Gardens.
13:49 But it does become another game of cricket again.