The 35-year-old has signed for the Ghent Gladiators (GG) in the new European T20 Premier League and will play out of Belgium.
The Proteas Test and ODI captain has barely featured in the shortest format in recent years, with his last T20 appearance for South Africa coming in September 2023.
Bavuma has not played a T20 match at any level since April 2024 and went unsold in the last two SA20 player auctions.
However, the 36-year-old says the opportunity with the GG fits perfectly into his offseason schedule and will not interfere with his national commitments.
“It is the offseason for me,” Bavuma said.
“Since it does not clash with any ODI or Test commitments, I’m happy to indulge. My priority will always be Test and ODI cricket for as long as I hold the responsibility of captain.”
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Bavuma will turn out for the Ghent Gladiators alongside fellow South Africans Duan Jansen and Dwaine Pretorius.
The side will be coached by former England international Jonathan Trott, with Bavuma eager to work alongside the experienced mentor.
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“It is always good experience to share knowledge with other experienced players,” Bavuma told SportsBoom.co.za.
“It will be nice to share the field with guys I haven’t played with in a while like Dwaine Pretorius. I’m also looking forward to working with Jonathan Trott.”
Bavuma last played for the Proteas during the ODI series against India in December before returning to domestic action for the Lions in the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge, where he has scored 125 runs in four innings at an average of 41.
“I just want to go out there and have fun,” he said. “I haven’t played a great amount of T20 lately, so it will be nice to see myself do well within the format.”
Photo: @ProteasMenCSA/X
