South Africa name Test squad for Australia series

Cricket South Africa (CSA) named the 16-member squad for the 3-match Test series against Australia. South Africa will take on hosts Australia with the tour commencing on November 3. CSA named two surprise inclusions in the squad. Chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj have made it to the Test squad. The core of the team has renamed the same apart from these inclusions.

Shamsi has been impressive in the limited opportunities that he has got thus far. His impressive showing in the Caribbean Premier League earned him the ODI cap earlier this year. Maharaj has been on the fringes of making his debut for quite some time now. Fast bowler Morne Morkel also makes a comeback to the team. He did not feature in the home series against New Zealand recently. Morkel will be back in action in the domestic tournament tomorrow in the match between Titans and Warriors.

Another player who returns from injury is Dean Elgar. Test skipper AB de Villiers will miss out on the tour following an injury. Faf du Plessis will take over the captaincy duty in his absence. Rilee Rossouw has also earned his spot in the Test team. Rossouw has been in a good touch in the ongoing limited overs series against Australia at the moment. Wicketkeeper Dane Vilas also finds a place as reserve wicketkeeper. Vilas had made an unimpressive start to his Test career in India last year.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener Linda Zondi justified the selections. Zondi remarked the steady progress of Shamsi. “Shamsi has made huge progress over the course of the last year in the longer format,” he said.  “He took 41 wickets at an average of less than 20 in seven matches in last season’s Sunfoil Series and he certainly offers something different as an attacking spinner,” he added further.

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Speaking on Maharaj’s inclusion in the side, he cited the domestic excellence as the reason. “Maharaj is also right on top of his game. He took 13 wickets in the Sunfoil Series match at the weekend and also made a run-a-ball 72,” Zondi quoted. He further said that the team is keen on following the ‘horse for courses’ attitude and hence adapting variety in the squad.

“Basically, we are following a horses for courses policy as we feel that spinners who turn the ball away from the right-hander are going to be particularly useful under Australian conditions and against the Test batsmen we are likely to face,” conceded the Selection Convener.

South Africa Test squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Dane Vilas

The series commences on November 3 with the first Test at Perth.

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