Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has labelled captain Temba Bavuma as one of the best batters in the world over the past two years.

Bavuma put in a match-winning performance against India at Eden Garden to help the Proteas secure a 30-run win in the first test.

The South African skipper made history by becoming the fastest captain ever to reach 10 Test wins, winning 10 games and drawing one in 11 matches.

Conrad will be hoping Bavuma can continue his fine form when they face the same opponents at the Barsapara Cricket Ground on Saturday.

“Having our best player (Bavuma) back brings a calmness. In the last 18-24 months he has been one of the best players in the world and he showed that again,” Conrad told reporters.

“An innings where he was clear in how he wanted to do it and went against the grain of everyone else. That was the difference between the two sides.

“He was comfortable that if he stuck to his gameplan, which was that he will get beaten by balls on the outside, but as long as he is not beaten by balls on the inside, he will bat through.”