From chokers to champions: The 27-year journey of South African cricket

South Africa have done it. They are the World Test Champions. Temba Bavuma’s team fully deserved the honour. Let’s raise a toast to their long-awaited triumph.

It’s been a long time coming. South Africa have always been brimming with talent. Tough as nails, fierce in competition, yet, time and again, they found ways to implode under pressure. But that narrative was rewritten at Lord’s on Saturday.

In a tense final against Australia, South Africa triumphed by five wickets. The game showed flashes of their past frailties, but Bavuma and Aiden Markram rose to the occasion, dragging their side from the brink and steering them towards glory.

Their journey to the top has been easy — it was a path marked by heartbreaks, near misses, and crushing defeats to lowly teams. That’s been the story of South African cricket since their return to the international fold in 1991.

Before that, South Africa were international cricket’s pariah, cast out in the wilderness in the wake of the Basil D’Oliviera affair — a turning point in sporting politics. D’Oliviera, a coloured South African playing for England, was controversially disallowed to tour apartheid South Africa, leading to the tour’s cancellation. Isolated and shunned, the Springboks — as they were known then — became a cautionary tale despite their immense talent.

That talent was on full display in 1969-70, when South Africa thrashed Australia 4–0, ending Bill Lawry’s captaincy. The series saw the rise of Barry Richards and the brilliance of Mike Proctor, Graeme and Peter Pollock, and Eddie Barlow. But with apartheid tightening its grip, those stars were exiled from Test cricket. Many — Jimmy Cook, Clive Rice, Peter Kirsten, Vincent van der Bijl — toiled in the first-class leagues of England and Australia. Some, like Allan Lamb and Robin Smith, made their mark for England. Kepler Wessels even played for Australia before returning to lead South Africa out of isolation.

The rebirth in 1991 was tentative and symbolic. Omar Henry, a left-arm spinner, became the first non-white player in a newly inclusive setup — though at the time, it felt more like a quota than a shift. That change truly arrived with Makhaya Ntini, the first black African to play for the Proteas — the new name of South African teams. His energy, passion, and skill were undeniable, and he opened the door for a new generation of players who made it on sheer merit.

Since then, the rainbow nation has flourished on the cricket field. Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Paul Adams, Imran Tahir, and many others  — the list of outstanding players reflects the country’s growing inclusivity. Today, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi continue that legacy. And at the helm is Bavuma — leading a team that looks like a true reflection of South Africa.

It has taken decades to get here. From pariahs to powerhouses, Springboks to Proteas, and from chokers to champions — the transformation is profound. The scars remain, but this victory is a healing balm.

South Africa’s only previous major trophy was in 1998, in the forerunner of the Champions Trophy. So, after a 27-year wait, this Test crown is more than a title. It’s a vindication of their talent. A culmination of their relentless pursuit of glory. And, finally, a celebration that unites the nation.