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South Africa has a new reason to celebrate, having secured their first-ever ICC World Test Championship title.

Under the leadership of Temba Bavuma, the Proteas defeated Australia at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, ending a 27-year drought for an ICC trophy. With this triumph, Bavuma has become one of the most talked-about names in world cricket.

Social media is abuzz with praise for Bavuma’s composed captaincy and match-winning performances.

Despite being a seasoned international cricketer since 2014, Bavuma has never played in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, after leading his country to a major ICC title, that could change in IPL 2026.

A Long-Awaited IPL Entry?

Bavuma has played 36 T20Is for South Africa, scoring 670 runs at a strike rate of 118.17. In his overall T20 career, he has amassed 2653 runs in 139 matches, with a strike rate of 124, including 1 century and 10 half-centuries. These numbers, combined with his leadership qualities, make him a valuable asset for any team.

If Bavuma enters the IPL 2026 auction, teams that value experienced and composed players could show strong interest.

Franchises like Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals might consider bidding for him.

His ability to anchor the innings and provide leadership makes him an ideal middle-order option. Additionally, franchises looking for a potential captain could also keep an eye on him.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma responded to his critics with a statement performance, guiding his team to the World Test Championship (WTC) crown on Saturday.

"We got ourselves into the final, there were doubters on the route we took, this win squashes that," Bavuma said at the post-match presentation.

"It's been a special couple of days, at some points it felt like we were in SA. We prepared hard, we came in with a lot of belief and lot of doubters, glad we played well," he added.