South Africa’s ODI captain, Temba Bavuma, and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be taking a break from the upcoming white-ball series against India to focus on preparation for the two ensuing Test matches. Despite Bavuma’s role as the fifty-over captain, T20I skipper Aiden Markram will lead the team in his absence during the India series.
In a strategic move, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi will participate only in the first two T20 matches to adequately prepare for the upcoming Tests. All mentioned players, including Bavuma, Rabada, Coetzee, Jansen, and Ngidi, will feature in domestic first-class matches from December 14 to 17 to fine-tune their skills.
The Test squad sees some noteworthy inclusions, with Tristan Stubbs earning his maiden Test call-up, alongside batsman David Bedingham and fast bowler Nandre Burger, both likely to be part of South Africa’s squad against New Zealand in February. Wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and fast bowler Lungi Ngidi make their return after being dropped last summer, while Heinrich Klaasen has been left out of the Test squad. Unfortunately, Anrich Nortje remains unavailable across all formats due to a lower back stress fracture, with no specified timeline for his recovery.
The T20I squad will be led by Aiden Markram and includes notable names such as Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, and Marco Jansen. The ODI squad, captained by Markram, features a strong lineup with players like Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, and Rassie van der Dussen. The Test squad, captained by Temba Bavuma, boasts a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, highlighting South Africa’s commitment to building a competitive team for the future.
South Africa ODI and Test Squad:
South Africa ODI squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Mihlali Mpongwana, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams
South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne.
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