The ICC World Test Championship 2025 final at Lord’s Cricket Ground pits Australia against South Africa. Much of the pre-match focus will center on the performances of Australian batsman Steve Smith and South African captain Temba Bavuma. Both have been instrumental to their teams’ success in the current WTC cycle. South Africa, under Bavuma’s leadership, has shown impressive form, securing seven consecutive wins to reach the final. The match’s outcome may well depend on the contributions of these two veteran batsmen.
Steve Smith’s Test career is marked by exceptional performances. He has accumulated 10,271 runs in 206 innings over 116 matches, averaging a remarkable 56.74. His record includes 36 centuries and 41 half-centuries, establishing him as one of Australia’s leading Test batsmen. Against South Africa, Smith has scored 854 runs in 21 innings across 13 Tests, averaging 44.94, with 2 centuries and 4 fifties. In the World Test Championship, he has scored 4,072 runs in 89 innings of 53 matches, with an average of 50.90, including 13 hundreds and 17 fifties.
Temba Bavuma, while having fewer Test appearances, is a key player for South Africa. He has played 63 Test matches, scoring 3,606 runs in 108 innings at an average of 37.95, with 4 centuries and 24 half-centuries. Against Australia, Bavuma has played 9 matches, scoring 483 runs in 15 innings at an average of 40.25. Although he hasn’t scored a century against them, his top score is 95 not out. In the WTC, Bavuma has amassed 1,890 runs in 49 innings across 28 matches, averaging 43.95, with 3 centuries and 11 fifties, making him the second-highest run-scorer from Africa in the championship.