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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma recalled Rohit Sharma’s appearance during the 2007 T20 World Cup.

He made these comments ahead of the second ODI between India and South Africa in Raipur. Bavuma noted that facing stalwarts Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli doesn’t feel new anymore, considering how long both have dominated the global stage.

“We played against Rohit back in the 2007 T20 World Cup, and I was still in school at the time. These guys have been around for so long. There’s nothing unfamiliar about them, they’re world-class players,” Bavuma said.

“Facing them is nothing unusual for us. We’ve had tough days against them and good ones as well. It just adds more excitement to the series,” he added.

He didn’t hesitate to highlight how much value such experienced campaigners add. The first match made that clear, with the pair reading the pitch instantly and taking on South Africa’s bowlers to add over 130 runs.

“The addition of those two really strengthens the side. As we mentioned before, they bring immense experience and skill, and that can only help the team,” he mentioned.

“We understand it well, so it’s nothing new to us,” he concluded. The Proteas know stopping Rohit and Kohli will be a demanding task, but they’ll still fancy their chances of dismissing them early to remain alive in the ODI series.