South Africa’s preparations for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final have suffered a major setback as Test skipper Temba Bavuma has been sidelined with an elbow injury. Bavuma, who plays for the Lions in domestic cricket, will miss their first-class final starting Thursday in Johannesburg. The Lions were reportedly informed of his injury only late on Wednesday. This is the latest in a series of setbacks for Bavuma, who fractured his left elbow in 2022, missing the England tour and three months of cricket. He reinjured the same elbow during an ODI against Ireland in Abu Dhabi last year, followed by hamstring issues that further limited his red-ball match practice.

Bavuma has also struggled with fitness during international tournaments, batting with heavy strapping on both elbows during the Champions Trophy. Since then, he has not played competitive cricket, leaving him without match readiness ahead of the WTC final on June 11. South Africa had planned practice matches against England in mid-May, but even if Bavuma recovers in time, his lack of international exposure remains a concern. Despite these challenges, Bavuma has been one of South Africa’s best Test batsmen recently, scoring heavily across 2023-2025, including a century earlier this year.