Brian Lara described Temba Bavuma’s 179 in the second Test against Australia at St George's Park as one of the great innings of this era, but quickly moved to urge the Proteas skipper to finish the job at hand.
With the series tied at 1-1 heading into the final match in Cape Town, the West Indies icon chose to hold back his praise until the build-up to the decider, ensuring his congratulations arrived alongside a call to keep the momentum going.
"I know I’m a little late in congratulating my good friend Temba Bavuma and the Proteas, but there’s a reason for the delay," Lara shared on Instagram.
"Temba’s magnificent 179 was, in my view, one of the great Test innings of this era. To produce that kind of performance under pressure, when your team needs you most, speaks volumes about the man and the captain."
While celebrating the brilliance in Gqeberha, Lara noted that true sporting stature comes from backing up a special performance when everything is on the line.
"Congratulations, Temba and South Africa. Enjoy the moment, because the next challenge awaits and that’s precisely why I’ve waited to share my thoughts," Lara wrote.
"Success deserves to be celebrated, but the moment you achieve it, your focus must also turn to sustaining that momentum. In sport, you cannot afford to become a prisoner of what you’ve just accomplished. You must learn from it, draw confidence from it, and prepare to do it all over again."
The setting for the finale carries poetic significance for the Proteas skipper. Newlands is where Bavuma first made his mark on the international stage with a landmark maiden Test hundred in 2016, and he now returns to the foot of Table Mountain with a series victory in his sights.
For Lara, that balance between celebration and relentless drive remains the hallmark of the best:
"That’s the challenge of greatness: not just reaching the summit, but finding the hunger and discipline to stay there."