JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have rested batter Temba Bavuma for their home white-ball series against India this month after a poor Cricket World Cup, but he will captain the team in the two-Test series which starts on Dec 26.

Bavuma was, by his own admission, not 100% fit as South Africa bowed out of the World Cup semi-finals in a three-wicket loss to eventual champions Australia.

He opened the innings in the tournament but averaged only 18.12 across his eight games with a high score of 35.

Aiden Markram will captain both the Twenty20 and One Day International (ODI) sides against India, a dual role he may well take on into the future.

Quinton de Kock retired from ODIs at the end of the World Cup but is still available for T20s, though he will skip this series and instead play for the Melbourne Renegades in Australias domestic Big Bash competitions, which starts on Thursday.

There are recalls for wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder for the test and ODI series, but premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been rested from the limited overs games in order for him to play domestic four-day cricket to be ready for the Test matches.

Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen will not play the ODIs for the same reason.

Fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen will only play in the first two T20 internationals before returning to their franchises to play in domestic four-day cricket ahead of the Test series.

One-day coach Rob Walter said the decision was made in consultation with Test coach Shukri Conrad.

“We have a busy summer ahead starting with the T20Is and then ODIs against India and we have therefore taken the decision to omit several of our senior players,” said Walter. “This decision was taken together with coach Shukri as we place emphasis on the red-ball leg of the tour, meaning they will instead be preparing for the Test series by playing domestic cricket.”

The Test squad includes three uncapped players in Durham and Western Province batsman David Bedingham, left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger and batsman Tristan Stubbs.

Burger is set to make his international debut after being named in all three squads.

“We have a near full-strength (test) squad to pick from and that in itself is a real boost for us,” Conrad said in a statement from Cricket South Africa. “It is the start of a new ICC World Test Championship cycle and that itself is a huge incentive for everyone.”

India’s tour will start with three T20 matches in Durban, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg from Dec. 10-14. They will then switch format for three ODIs between Dec. 17-21, played in the latter two venues and Paarl.

The first test will start on Dec 26 in Pretoria, with the second on Jan 3 at Newlands in Cape Town.

India will also be without key players for the white-ball matches, with regular captain Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli rested ahead of the Test matches.

Squads:

T20: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs and Lizaad Williams.

ODI: 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 and Lizaad Williams.

Test: 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.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2023