Former Proteas opener emphatic on Bavuma batting position debate: 'He can't bat lower than 3'

No lower than No 3.

That's Henry Davids' emphatic answer on where Proteas T20 skipper Temba Bavuma should bat in the five-match series against India, which commences in Delhi on Thursday afternoon.

The diminutive stroke-maker's ideal position in the shortest form of the game has been a prominent talking point, particular since he dropped into the middle order during last year's encouraging ICC T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE.

There's consensus that Bavuma is at his most effective at the top of the order.

"I agree with that," Davids, who played nine T20s and two ODIs for the Proteas, told Sport24.

"The middle order just doesn't suit Temba's strengths in the T20 format. He's a crisp stroke-player and one that can easily find gaps to the boundary in the power-play.

"Most importantly, that wouldn't require him to move too far away from his strengths."

Bavuma's stats certainly provide ammunition for the argument.

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Four of his six scores of 40-plus in the format have come as an opener, including his career-best, 51-ball 72 against Ireland in Belfast last year.

Having the 32-year-old - who boasts a very respectable strike rate of 123 - also allows the Proteas to address another longstanding perceived weakness of becoming bogged down in the middle overs.

"It's become a bit better, but the South Africans still tend to bat too slow between overs 7 and 14. It's partly due to them having a few batters like Temba and Rassie van der Dussen who naturally like to take a bit of time to settle in before teeing off," said Davids.

"Having Temba set after the power-play already will see him go on to a big score invariably because he does have a power game