When the Proteas won the World Test Championship last year against Australia, there were “experts” who sneered, calling it a “fluke” or commenting that our national cricket side had an “easy” road to the final, playing soft opponents.

In the cross-hairs of the armchair experts, especially the home-grown ones, was Proteas captain Temba Bavuma.

These days the criticism has moved on to a more subtle form: now there is less about him being a “quota player”, but plenty of carping about his captaincy decisions and personal form with the bat.

Facts behind the captain

Though he must have the hide of a rhino to endure the negativity, Bavuma knows that the facts are on his side.

Those facts include that, since the readmission of SA to international cricket in the early ’90s, he is the Test captain with the highest win percentage: he played 15 matches, with one loss, one draw and 13 wins.

With Saturday’s mauling of Australia – to win the Test and two-match series – the Proteas proved last year wasn’t a fluke.

They smashed a top team and then saw themselves comfortably at the top of the World Test rankings.

Modest man that he is, Bavuma praised the whole Proteas outfit and started looking ahead at the next challenges for the team – against Bangladesh and then England over the festive season.

Quiet leadership

His quiet, disciplined style underlined the steely resolve, as well as the team commitment which has made this captain so much bigger than the sum of his parts.

Even those who don’t like him can’t deny his leadership qualities, which have helped shape the Proteas into the success story they are.

He’s very much in the mould of Siya Kolisi – less flamboyant and emotional, to be sure, but just as capable of inspiring fierce loyalty on the field.

Today’s Bavuma is bringing South Africa its well-deserved quota of accolades.