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Cape Town - Proteas middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma is eager to prove to his critics that he is not just a Test cricketer.
The 29-year-old has only managed to play two ODIs for the Proteas thus far - although he has been a regularly in red-ball cricket with 36 Tests to his name.
In his two ODIs, Bavuma became one of three Protea batsman to score a century on debut when he scored 117 against Ireland in 2016 and made 48 against Bangladesh in 2017.
Bavuma revealed that he stunned by his T20 call-up, as the Proteas play against hosts India in a three-match series.
"I was surprised to be honest, I think back home there's a perception that I'm a red-ball player," said Bavuma on Friday.
"I knew in the back of my mind that white ball cricket is something that I wanted to play and fortunately with good performances this past season this opportunity has come. It came a bit earlier than I thought but in saying that I'm here now and I'd like to do the most that I can.
"As a player, you go through many challenges, there's a lot of pressure and people are quite quick to label you as a certain player, and that could be a good or bad thing."
Bavuma stated he is eager to silence his critics and maintains that making the T20 was a goal he had been wanting to achieve.
"Proving people wrong is always an extra bit of motivation," said Bavuma.
"Personally, I don't take what other people say to heart. For me, I focus on what I want to achieve like last year, when I made a consensus decision to improve my white-ball game, I tried to play as many T20 games as I could those were goals that I wanted to achieve not based on what people say."
The first T20 in Dharamsala is scheduled to get under way on Sunday at 15:30 SA time.
Proteas T20I squad v India:
Quinton de Kock (Titans, captain), Rassie van der Dussen (Lions, vice-captain), Temba Bavuma (Lions), Junior Dala (Titans), Bjorn Fortuin (Lions), Beuran Hendricks (Lions), Reeza Hendricks (Lions), David Miller (Dolphins), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Andile Phehlukwayo (Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (Lions), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Tabraiz Shamsi (Titans), George Linde (Cape Cobras)
Proteas T20 tour to India itinerary:
Sunday, September 15 - 1st T20I at Dharamsala - 15:30 SA time
Wednesday, September 18 - 2nd T20I at Mohali - 15:30 SA time
Sunday, September 22 - 3rd T20I at Bengaluru - 15:30 SA time
