AB de Villiers hails Temba Bavuma, says he leads like MS Dhoni, unlike intimidating Graeme Smith: ‘He hardly raises…’

AB de Villiers highlighted how Temba Bavuma’s quiet authority mirrors MS Dhoni’s calm captaincy style.

Temba Bavuma’s stature as a Test captain continues to rise rapidly, with his unbeaten run still intact since taking over the role. Leading South Africa to the World Test Championship title pushed him firmly into the spotlight, and the historic series win on Indian soil only added to his growing legacy. Under his leadership, South Africa’s transition in red-ball cricket has been remarkably smooth, reflected in their recent performances. His composed captaincy in India, especially the vital innings he played on a challenging pitch under immense pressure in the first Test, has further elevated his standing, placing him firmly among the most impressive Proteas captains in recent history.

AB de Villiers likens Temba Bavuma’s captaincy to MS Dhoni (Reuters and AFP)

Proteas legend AB de Villiers admitted Bavuma has exceeded expectations as Test captain, noting how his composed leadership defies first impressions and contrasts sharply with Graeme Smith’s imposing presence, proving that stature isn’t what defines a great leader.

"South Africa lost that one Test in Pakistan which I think they should never have lost," he said. "But he didn’t play that Test, so he got off. I mean he surprised all of us. I’ve been in connection with my friends for years, for the first few years that he was named captain and I even was hesitant to say you know what I’m very confident about the call. Maybe it comes back to that old phrase, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’. He doesn’t look big like Greame Smith with a whole aura walking and that presence where he can be intimidating," De Villiers said during a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

He further highlighted how Bavuma’s quiet authority mirrors MS Dhoni’s calm captaincy style, noting that despite his soft-spoken nature and small frame, the SA skipper commands respect and proves that different leadership approaches can be equally successful.

"Temba is very, very small. He’s a soft-spoken guy and hardly ever raises his voice. It just shows you the different styles of captaincy can be successful. I think it’s similar for MS Dhoni maybe back in the day also. I hardly ever heard his voice. He was quite calm, didn’t speak much but when he did speak, I think people listened to him. I think that might be a similar case with Temba," he added.