Bavuma: Proteas still far off their best despite series win

THE Proteas may have left Australia with their fifth straight ODI series triumph over their arch-rivals, but the road ahead to the 2027 World Cup remains a long one.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS.

The record-breaking 276-run defeat in the final match of the tour in Mackay on Sunday illustrated just how vulnerable the side remains.

While it hardly diminished the excellence of their earlier play, which yielded comprehensive wins in the first two matches, the weaknesses in particular the seam bowling depth cannot be disguised.

The Proteas were without Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger - both rested after their exertions on the first two-matches - and the injured Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen.

But so were Australia devoid of their first-choice World Cup-winning pace trio of captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Captain Temba Bavuma was therefore forthright in his assessment of the 2-1 series victory.

“To be honest, I think we're quite far (from being a settled unit)” Bavuma said. “I mean, as you would have seen within the team now, you're seeing new faces in the team.