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A number of senior players are being rested for the two-Test tour of Zimbabwe.
The World Test Championship winners are in action again next week, in the first of two Tests against Zimbabwe. Picture: Lubabalo Lesolle/Gallo Images
The World Test Championship-winning Proteas will quickly have to put their celebrations behind them as they’re already in action again next week.
Captain Temba Bavuma and his team have spent much of this week celebrating their Test final triumph over Australia at Lord’s last weekend. Besides the squad doing plenty of partying in London last weekend, they also celebrated with their biggest fans at a meet-and-greet in Sandton on Thursday.
However, they will soon have to focus on cricket again as the Test team’s two-match tour of Zimbabwe starts next week.
Zimbabwe Tests
The 16-man squad, however, looks a little different to the group that battled the Aussies at Lord’s and eventually won by five wickets.
Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have been rested for the series, while Bavuma was on Friday ruled out of the tour because of the hamstring injury he picked up during the Test final in London last week.
The fast bowling trio of Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams, who have had recent injury struggles, were not considered for selection. Lungi Ngidi, who was not part of the iniital squad, will join the squad for the second Test.
Five uncapped players will hope to make their Test debuts, namely Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Codi Yusuf, Dewald Brevis and Prenelan Subrayen. There is also a recall for Zubayr Hamza.
It is the Test team’s first tour of Zimbabwe since 2014. The two Tests take place in Bulawayo from June 28 and July 6 respectively.
In Bavuma’s absence in Zimbabwe, Keshav Maharaj will lead the side.
India tour
The Proteas Test team are then only in action again in November when they play two Tests against India in India. The matches start on November 14 and November 22 respectively.
Bavuma and his side will play no Tests over the festive period.
Proteas squad for Zimbabwe Tests: David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi Yusuf, Lungi Ngidi (second Test)
