'WTC win was no fluke': Temba Bavuma slams 'critics' after statement win over Australia

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma believes his team have answered questions about their World Test Championship (WTC) triumph after completing a 2-1 series win over Australia. The Proteas came back from a defeat in the opening Test to win the next two matches, including the series decider by 176 runs at Newlands on Saturday.South Africa's recent run includes qualifying for the 2025 WTC final even after forfeiting a series in New Zealand, beating defending champions Australia in the final at Lord's, drawing a series in Pakistan and winning a Test series in India for the first time in 25 years. They have now added a home series victory over Australia to that record.The win in Cape Town also took South Africa to the top of the ICC Test rankings. Simon Harmer played a key role in the victory, taking 6/16 in the second innings and finishing with match figures of 10/120. Kagiso Rabada claimed three early wickets as Australia were bowled out for 111 while chasing 288.South Africa's series win came after they lost the opening Test in Durban by 214 runs. They responded with an innings-and-31-run victory in Gqeberha before sealing the series in Cape Town.Speaking after the win, Bavuma reflected on the demands of the series and the effort required from his players to maintain their performance."It's tough, to be honest," he said. "You wake up every day asking yourself to be at your best. Physically, there's times where you feel like you can't go at 100%, but you need to dig deep, and if the opportunity's there, make sure you're in the best mental space to make the play for the team. Even if things don't go well for you with the ball or the bat, you still need to be looking at ways as to how you can contribute within the team."Bavuma described the series as "15 days of just pressure". It came after South Africa had gone almost a year without playing a Test and 21 months without playing one at home. He said the opening defeat in Durban had been a "rude awakening"."There were two quality sides who came up against each other, and really forced each other to play their best cricket," Bavuma said. "It will be important for us to acknowledge what we've achieved, celebrate whatever milestones, take whatever learnings that come with it, and really bask in what we've achieved. In the two-and-a-half years, if you look at the team, we've been able to squeeze out every inch of every individual."Bavuma also hopes the team's performances will change how they are viewed by critics, who have questioned whether their WTC title was a one-off achievement."I do hope with the way that we've performed, not the result, but the way that we've performed, it's given that belief. And I guess in a cheeky way, answer to certain critics saying that what we did at the WTC was a fluke. The sky's the limit for the team."Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.