South Africa will take inspiration from New Zealand on its tour of India: Temba Bavuma

South African Test captain, Temba Bavuma, has opened up on the upcoming Indian tour, stating that his team would take inspiration from the New Zealand side, which defeated India by 3-0 in the three-match Test series at home last year.

While speaking on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Awards 2025 on Tuesday, October 7, in Mumbai, Bavuma asserted that touring India is never an easy one, adding that a lot of touring sides in the past have been unsuccessful. 

"Touring India is never an easy one. So, you know, I think looking at the way New Zealand went about their business, I think was inspiring in a lot of ways. You know, a lot of touring teams, a lot of away teams come to India and haven't been successful,” Bavuma said at the CEAT Cricket Awards event in Mumbai.

“And that is the biggest of cricketing nations. I heard Kane Williamson (who could not play that NZ tour of India last year), he is going to be here. So I will definitely be asking him for tips on how they went about it,” he added.

"But look, I mean, that is going to be another big series for us as South Africa. The boys now, they will be going to Pakistan. So they will deal with that challenge. And straight after that, it's India. And I think, like I said, for the guys who have been to India, we know how tough it is. But I think like any series, like any game, the opportunities are there, you know," he noted.

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the longest format of the game, Shubman Gill, the new Test captain, levelled the five-match Test series against England 2-2. Bavuma heaped praise on the new Indian skipper Gill for bringing in the new era.

"It seems as if the new era has kicked in, if I could say. I think guys like Rohit, before him, Kohli, they have done their job. You know, they put India really on the map and they have made India a team to really be feared," said Bavuma.

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