Rabada and Bavuma took a break from India.

2023.12.04

Rabada and Bavuma rested for the white-ball matches vs India, and Stubbs receives his first Test call-up.

Wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne has been recalled to the Test team

In order to be ready for the two Tests that will come after, South Africa’s fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and captain of the One-Day Internationals, Temba Bavuma, have been rested from their white-ball series against India later this month. In the recently concluded ODI World Cup, Bavuma led South Africa to the semi-finals and is still designated as the team’s 50-over captain; however, T20 captain Aiden Markram will take over for him against India.

For the same reason, only Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi will participate in the first two Twenty20 Internationals. Then, from December 14 to 17, all five of Bavuma, Rabada, Coetzee, Jansen, and Ngidi will participate in a series of domestic first-class matches in order to be ready for the Tests. At a news conference, South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad stated, “We agreed that the Test side is the priority.” “We are prioritising readiness for the Test matches given its the start of the World Test Championship (WTC).” Rob Walter, his equivalent in white-ball, concurred.

South Africa open their WTC campaign with the series against India and will then take a second-string side to New Zealand to play two Tests in February next year, when the majority of first-choice players will be involved in the SA20.

In light of this, Durham’s native batter David Bedingham, who has played for the team on an ancestral visa despite abandoning his ambitions to represent England and lacking a SA20 contract, has been included to the playing group. Left-arm seamer Nandre Burger and batsman Tristan Stubbs, who led South Africa A in runs scored during their winter trip to Sri Lanka, are both expected to make their Test debuts. After being discarded last summer, seamer Lungi Ngidi and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne both return to the field. Heinrich Klaasen is not included in the Test team, but Conrad says it’s “not the end of the road” for him.

Anrich Nortje is not available in any format after suffering a lower back stress fracture that prevented him from competing in the World Cup. Nortje is under monthly observation and has not undergone any surgery. According to Cricket South Africa, he should be ready to play in February or March of the following year. The Delhi Capitals, his IPL team, have decided to keep him.

South Africa T20I squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee (1st and 2nd T20Is), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen (1st and 2nd T20Is), Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi (1st and 2nd T20Is), Andile Phehlukwayo , Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams

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