South Africa announce second-string squad for Bangladesh Tests

South Africa will be without their frontline seam bowlers including Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada in their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The series will start from March 31 with the first match to be played in Kingsmead, Durban.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have been forced to name a weakened 15-man squad for the Test series as several of the key players are likely to participate in the 15th edition of 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) starting from March 26. Apart from their pace battery, batters Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen will also not be available for the Test series.

As a result, the board on Thursday included the middle-order-batter Khaya Zondo to their Test squad. The 32-year-old batter has represented South Africa in six ODI matches, scoring 146 runs at an average of 29.2. However, this is the first time that Zondo has been included in the Proteas Test squad.

The loss of the IPL players is not ideal: Selectors convener

To note, there is an agreement between the player’s union and CSA to not stop players to compete in the IPL and other lucrative limited overs events going around.

“The loss of the IPL players is not ideal, but we back the CSA system, its ever growing pipeline and most of all, the players we have selected,” Convenor of Selectors Victor Mpitsang was quoted by The Times of India.

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Keegan Petersen, who was the one of the key performers of the home series win over India at the start of the year, has returned to the squad after missing last month’s tour to New Zealand because of a Covid-19 infection. The right-handed batter has played five Tests in which he has scored 320 runs at an average of 35.56.

South Africa squad for Bangladesh Tests

Dean Elgar (C), Temba Bavuma, Daryn Dupavillon, Sarel Erwee, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Duanne Olivier, Keegan Petersen, Ryan Rickelton, Lutho Sipamla, Glenton Stuurman, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo.