Johannesburg — Batsman Temba Bavuma has recovered from an elbow injury and will captain South Africa in a two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, which starts next Wednesday in Durban.
If the Proteas can beat Sri Lanka twice, and also win two Tests against visiting Pakistan later this season, they will qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final next June.
Bavuma has not played since early October, when he was hurt diving during a one-day international against Ireland in Abu Dhabi.
The 34-year-old last featured in a Test three months ago, against the West Indies in Guyana. In his absence, Aiden Markham led South Africa to a 2-0 series win in Bangladesh.
Red-ball head coach Shukri Conrad has today announced a 14-player squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which gets underway in Durban later this month.
Captain Temba Bavuma will lead the side after being cleared for selection following a fitness test on… pic.twitter.com/MuUhVjqb4q
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 19, 2024
“Temba is going in cold on the back of not having played any matches, but we are going to simulate match situations in our camp,” head coach Shukri Conrad told a press conference on Tuesday.
“We are thrilled to have Temba back. He is like a kid in a toy shop because he has not played Test cricket in a while.
“It is important to have him back. When I became head coach in January last year, I appointed him captain. We work very well together,” added the coach.
Squad
Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne
Schedule
1st Test: Nov 27-Dec 1, Durban
2nd Test: Dec 5-9, Gqeberha
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Source: AFP
Picture: X/@bash_kaak
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