ESPNcricinfo Awards 2025 men's captain of the year: symbolism plus silverware

Do not be fooled by either Bavuma's softly spoken, deliberate way of talking nor by his stature: this man is a giant. He has shouldered the biggest of responsibilities, far beyond what any cricketer should carry. As South Africa's first black African captain, he has been a symbol and his status has often detracted from his performance. Bavuma has often asked to be seen as a sportsperson first but understands that what he stands for in broader South African society cannot be ignored.

In 2025, his leadership finally came to the fore when he led South Africa to the promised land: a trophy with the word "world" in it. Bavuma ended a 27-year-wait for an ICC trophy since South Africa won the ICC Knockout in 1998. That he played such a prominent role in the final underlined what South Africa have been saying about him for much of the last four years: he is their best long-format batter. South Africa's relative scarcity of Tests may be one reason why he has not been recognised in the same way greats across other teams have been; his own lack of centuries may be another, but Bavuma has never been a man of numbers, rather of nous.

With an unbeaten record as Test captain, he is quietly establishing an era of dominance and will hope to extend that to the ODI format as well. In a year when South Africa did not play much or excel in the 50-overs game, reaching the semi-final of the Champions Trophy was a high-water mark, as they look to build to the home World Cup in 2027.

You could argue that the 66 runs Bavuma scored in the WTC final are the most valuable of his career and you would probably be right, so let's pick another achievement for this exercise.

Basking in the afterglow of the WTC victory, the injury yet unhealed, Bavuma was unable to lead South Africa's first series in defence of the title but returned for the tour of India, which he called as big as the final itself. After being on chastening tours to the country in 2015 and 2019, he knew first-hand how tough an India series could be and wanted better from this trip. But when South Africa were bowled out for 153 in Kolkata, 36 runs behind India's first-innings total of 189, and were 91 for 7 in the second dig, the worst seemed to be happening again. Cometh the pressure, commeth Bavuma. He partnered with Corbin Bosch for an eighth-wicket stand of 44 and worked his way to an unbeaten 55. His runs were unpretty but necessary and he was the only batter on either side to reach a half-century, which proved match-winning and series-defining.

11 Number of Tests South Africa have won under Bavuma, out of his 12 in charge. They went unbeaten in ten matches between August 2024 and July 2025, though Bavuma was only captain in seven of them.

25 Number of years between South Africa's first Test series win in India, in 2000, and their second, last year. They also did not won a Test in India in 15 years, between 2010 and 2025.

711 Number of runs Bavuma made in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, in 13 innings - the joint-most runs by a South African; David Bedingham had the same number of runs, but in 23 innings.

"He's very measured and understands the game, and he's just really, really well rounded off the field. He's really enjoyable to be around; he creates a really good environment that's very inclusive, that's very enjoyable, that's very relaxed."
- Travis Head, Australia's Test vice-captain

Rohit Sharma
Eight months after winning the T20 World Cup, Rohit won India a second-white ball trophy, the Champions Trophy without them dropping a game. He was undefeated as their 50-over captain, with eight wins out of eight in the year including a 3-0 series win over England at home.