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Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced their men’s squad for the much-anticipated two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, part of the ICC World Test Championship (2023-25). The announcement, made on Tuesday, sees Temba Bavuma return to the squad and take back his role as captain after recovering from a left elbow injury.
Bavuma was forced to miss the recent Test series against Bangladesh due to the injury but has now been cleared for selection after a successful fitness test on Monday. His return provides much-needed experience and leadership as the Proteas look to solidify their standing in the Test Championship rankings.
Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee strengthen the bowling attack
Alongside Bavuma, the squad welcomes the return of fast bowlers Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee. Both players last featured in the Test series against India earlier this year and are expected to play crucial roles in South Africa’s bowling unit. Jansen’s ability to extract bounce and Coetzee’s raw pace make them vital assets, particularly in home conditions.
South Africa’s pace attack will be further bolstered by the presence of experienced campaigners like Kagiso Rabada and Dane Paterson, while Keshav Maharaj’s spin will add variety to the bowling arsenal.
Fresh faces and rising stars
The squad also includes some relatively newer names like David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi, who have shown great promise in the domestic circuit. Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne, both reliable wicketkeeper-batters, provide options in the middle order, while Tristan Stubbs’ inclusion hints at the selectors’ intent to nurture young talent.
Also READ: Sri Lanka Test squad for South Africa tour announced, Dhananjaya de Silva to lead
Fixtures and venues for the series
The first Test is set to begin on Wednesday, November 27, at the iconic Kingsmead Stadium in Durban. The Proteas will then travel to Gqeberha for the second Test, starting Thursday, December 5, at Dafabet St George’s Park.
South Africa squad for Bangladesh Tests
Temba Bavuma (captain), 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, and Kyle Verreynne.
