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South Africa have officially unveiled their 15-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025, where they will face Australia at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground starting June 11. To fine-tune their preparations, the Proteas will also play a four-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe from June 3 to 6 at Arundel, offering them valuable match practice in English conditions.
WTC Final 2025: South Africa coach names opening pair to face Australia
In a significant move, head coach Shukri Conrad has confirmed that Ryan Rickelton will open the batting alongside Aiden Markram, cementing his position ahead of the fit-again Tony de Zorzi. Rickelton’s elevation to the top was backed by his spectacular double century in his last Test appearance against Pakistan at Newlands when de Zorzi was unavailable due to injury. Rickelton’s left-handed flair and adaptability to seaming conditions give South Africa an edge, particularly on England pitches. According to Conrad, De Zorzi, though included in the squad, is likely to feature in the middle order or as a backup, depending on pitch conditions and final team balance.
“It might have been a headache but I think Rickelton has nailed that down, so Ryan will be the opening bat with Aiden Markram. We’ll look at the balance we want to go with, whether Tony slots in at three, whether he slots in in the middle order, conditions will determine all of that. But right at the top of the order, there’s definitely no headache,” Conrad was quoted as saying by the Club Cricket SA.
Also READ: Australia unveil full-strength squad for WTC 2025 final against South Africa
Bowling dynamics for South Africa after Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee ruled out
A notable inclusion is Lungi Ngidi, who returns to the Test fold for the first time since August 2024. Though short of recent red-ball match time, Conrad believes Ngidi’s sharp fitness and ability to extract bounce make him a valuable asset, especially on Lord’s traditional slope. The pace department, however, has suffered setbacks. Anrich Nortje, still recovering from injury and deemed not fully fit, has been left out, as has Gerald Coetzee, who is also on the comeback trail from a physical setback. Their absence puts added responsibility on Ngidi and the rest of the pace attack to deliver against a formidable Australian lineup.
“I genuinely believe someone like Lungi can be a massive asset for us there. He’s looking in great shape. He’s been training really well, and he brings experience to our line-up. Whether he bowls up the slope or down the Lord’s slope, his height and the bounce that he’s able to extract can be a factor. We all enjoy sheer pace. Unfortunately, with Nortje, it didn’t pan out the way we had hoped. I don’t think he’s in any position, really, to be playing a Test. Gerald is also making his way back,” Conrad concluded.
Also READ: AB de Villiers picks South Africa’s bowling attack for WTC final against Australia at Lord’s
