At St George’s Park in Gqeberha, Temba Bavuma has produced the highest Test score of his career, 179, and it has the strongest claim to being his best century. The match is still unfinished, though, so its final worth hangs on the result. He made it with South Africa wobbling, in the first game after he suffered defeat as captain, in a high-stakes series. A win that squares the series would settle the debate, while a draw would leave it hanging.
Temba Bavuma 179 South Africa vs Australia Test
Gqeberha began badly for South Africa, who were 12-2 when Bavuma walked in. They were 40-4 on the second day and 97-5 by stumps, with their captain on 41 not out. From there he batted on to 179 off 334 deliveries, and the declaration came at 425/9. Australia then crumbled for 99 and had to bat again.
Bavuma went past the 172 he made against West Indies in 2023 to set a new personal high. The timing mattered too, because Durban had just handed him a 214-run defeat, the first loss of his tenure. Before that game, South Africa had gone 12 Tests unbeaten under him, winning 11 and drawing one. The innings therefore carried weight beyond the scoreboard.
Ranking His Hundreds by Difficulty
Judged on difficulty, the 179 sits at the top. Australia led the series, the team was in trouble, and it was his first innings back after losing as skipper. Second goes to the 172, made on his captaincy debut with early wickets down in a series South Africa won 2-0. Third is the 102 not out, his maiden hundred.
That unbeaten century against England came after he joined Chris Morris with five down and the team trailing by 180. Their seventh-wicket alliance produced 167 runs, a national best against England, in reply to 629/6 declared. The 113 against Sri Lanka and the 106 against Pakistan are hard to split, as both followed top-order wobbles and ended in victory.
Opponent | Venue | Score | Balls | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
England | Newlands | 102 not out | 148 | Draw |
West Indies | Wanderers | 172 | 280 | South Africa won by 284 runs |
Sri Lanka | Kingsmead | 113 | 228 | South Africa won |
Pakistan | Newlands | 106 | 179 | South Africa won by 10 wickets |
Australia | St George’s Park | 179 | 334 | In progress |
The Partnerships That Changed Everything
Two partnerships rescued the innings. Marco Jansen contributed 85 to a stand worth 132 for the seventh wicket, and Simon Harmer then stayed with Bavuma for 183 more for the eighth. That second stand is the highest eighth-wicket partnership South Africa have ever recorded in Tests. It lifted the total from 97-5 to a declaration that Australia could not realistically chase.
Australia’s reply of 99 meant South Africa held a 326-run advantage on first innings, a cushion that shapes every decision from here. Late-order runs on this scale are unusual for a team that started the day under pressure. The tail relished batting around a captain in full control.
Captaincy Under Pressure After Durban
After Durban, Bavuma conceded that his team had lacked fight. At Gqeberha, he answered by example, carrying the innings from 40-4 and leaning on a second-day partnership with Ryan Rickelton, who scored 31. The effort steadied a dressing room that had just lost for the first time under him.
This is at least his third Test hundred as captain, after the 172 and the 113. Leaders are often judged by how they react to a first defeat, and Bavuma has reacted with his highest score. That reply carries more meaning than any team talk could.
The Series Decider Awaits
The tourists hold a 1-0 lead from Durban in a three-game series, but the Gqeberha result will decide whether that margin survives. If South Africa convert their position into a win, the series is level, and the 179 earns its place as his best by result as well as by difficulty. A draw leaves Australia ahead and the debate unresolved.
The finale is scheduled for 27 to 31 October in Cape Town, the venue of his 102 not out and his 106. Those happy memories could matter. Until a result arrives, the Temba Bavuma 179 South Africa vs Australia Test knock stays a leading contender for best century, not a settled verdict.
Is the 179 already his best hundred, or must South Africa win the match first? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the highest Test score Temba Bavuma has made?
His highest is 179 against Australia at St George’s Park in Gqeberha. It came off 334 balls and passed his previous best, 172 versus West Indies in 2023.
How many Test hundreds does Bavuma have?
He has scored five Test hundreds so far. They are 102 not out against England, 172 against West Indies, 113 against Sri Lanka, 106 against Pakistan and 179 against Australia.
Has Bavuma scored a Test century as South Africa captain?
Yes, he has made at least three as captain. The first was 172 against West Indies on his captaincy debut, followed by 113 and then the 179 against Australia.
What is South Africa’s highest eighth-wicket partnership in Tests?
It is the 183 between Bavuma and Simon Harmer. That stand came against Australia and followed a seventh-wicket stand of 132 with Marco Jansen, so the lower order did the heavy lifting.
When is the third Test between South Africa and Australia?
Cape Town hosts it between 27 and 31 October. The tourists lead the three-game series by one match to nil going into that game, so the venue holds real significance.