SA vs AUS 2nd Test: Temba Bavuma reveals 'Tendulkar inspiration' behind career-best 179

South African Test captain Temba Bavuma admits to taking inspiration from Little Master Sachin Tendulkar for his career-best 179 against Australia in the first innings of the ongoing second Test in Gqeberha. Following South Africa's shaky start, after they were reduced to 110/6 at one stage, Bavuma revived their innings and helped them declare for 425 for nine. He led from the front and, with handy contributions from Marco Jansen (85) and Simon Harmer (82), helped the hosts sit in the driver’s seat in this rain-hit second Test.

Bavuma stitched two 100-plus stands for the seventh and the eighth wicket, with the tail and bailed the team out of trouble. During his marathon knock that lasted 334 balls, Bavuma scored 18 fours and a six, tiring out the Australian pace quartet, which shared eight wickets between them. Scott Boland was the most successful, with five for 81 to his name, and Mitchell Starc returned with three for 89.

"Yeah, I mean, I try to emulate my technique to his (Sachin Tendulkar). I mean, I'm obviously not a big guy. I'm not really going to get any big strides in. I try to be efficient in terms of my movement. Sometimes it gets me into trouble. But I think for me, that's generally what works. I try to play the ball as close to my body as possible. Yeah, kind of hope that that's going to work," Bavuma said in a chat with the broadcaster after the end of the third day's play.

Also read| SA vs AUS 2nd Test: Steve Smith crosses 11,000 runs but Australia all out for 99 in 1st innings

Calling this his best knock to date, captain Bavuma said, “Yeah, definitely one of my better ones. I think looking at the situation of the game, and I think personally as well, I found myself a lot in that type of situation, coming in early, trying to manage myself to kind of scramble through to a 50 or 60, but I think what was nice was my ability just to take it even further and make it count.”

Meanwhile, as things stand, South Africa wrapped up Australia’s first innings for just 99, with Jansen starring with the ball, picking up a brilliant five-wicket haul. Wiaan Mulder and Kagiso Rabada returned with two wickets each, while Anrich Nortje, who walked off the field with a suspected groin injury, picked up one.

The hosts enforced the follow-on, with Australia losing opener Nic Maddinson for eight. Australia were 50/1 at tea on day four, trailing by 276 runs.