Temba Bavuma reveals he will be in race against time to be fit for Pakistan series
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma is racing against time to recover from a Grade 2 calf strain sustained on September 7, aiming to be fit for the Pakistan Test series starting October 12. Picture: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma has revealed he will be working around the clock to recover from his calf injury in time to be fit for the Pakistan Test series next month.
With the Pakistan Test series starting on October 12, it leaves little time to spare for the influential captain.
Bavuma sustained a calf injury on September 7 in the third One-Day International (ODI) against England in Southampton.
With the first Test just under a month away, Bavuma said his medical team predicted he would need four weeks of rehabilitation for a calf strain, which was confirmed by scans last week.
Bavuma’s Recovery Timeline: Grade 2 Calf Strain Update
It means Bavuma will likely only potentially be fit by the start of the first Test, and not before. “Calf is a little bit sore at the moment. I started my rehab this week. So I got the results. I got back on Tuesday, from the UK I went for the scan on Wednesday. It’s a Grade 2 calf strain. I guess it’s just back to the drawing board again,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview over the weekend.
“I’ll try to do as much work as I can. Obviously I have Pakistan [Test series] so I’ll try to work my ass off to be in any good enough physical state.”
“That’s what I’ll be working towards. The medical team is still putting together the whole rehab program and all of that. I think it’s about four weeks. We’re just under four weeks until the first game.”
Bavuma’s Recovery Plan: Aiming for Fitness Before Pakistan Series
Bavuma, though, said he and his team would do everything they could to speed up his recovery.
“We’ll obviously leave a week before. So I think we’ve got three weeks left for me to prove my fitness. But yeah, I’ll try as much as I can.”
“I’m sure the guys will also consider other medical interventions, hyperbaric chambers, PRP treatments and all that stuff.”
“But yeah, that’ll be the plan to be as fit as I can be for the Pakistan series.”