New faces for Proteas ahead of upcoming home series against India

Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham and Nandre Burger have earned maiden call-ups to the Proteas Test squad for the upcoming series against India.

The 23-year-old Stubbs, who is already capped in both white-ball formats, impressed Test coach Shukri Conrad on a South Africa A tour to Sri Lanka earlier this year and most recently struck 130 in a domestic first-class match for the Warriors.With paceman Anrich Nortje (lower back stress fracture) still out injured, fast bowler Burger has been rewarded for his outstanding form with Western Province and finds a place in all three formats against India.Bedingham has returned to the South African domestic fold this season after piling on the runs for county side Durham during the English summer.

Another notable inclusion in the Test squad is the return of wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne, who has been preferred ahead of Heinrich Klaasen.

ODI captain Temba Bavuma and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada are amongst a group of players that have been omitted for the three T20s and three ODIs against India in order to play domestic red-ball cricket as emphasis is placed on the Test series for which both will return.

Proteas Test coach Conrad said: “It is the start of a new ICC World Test Championship cycle and that itself is a huge incentive for everyone.”The playing field is level and we want to try and ensure we make a strong start to this sequence here at home against one of the best teams in the world.

“We have a near full-strength squad to pick from and that in itself is a real boost for us. We have also added some new and exciting faces such as David Bedingham, Nandre Burger and Tristan Stubbs, who make the Test squad for the first time.

“There are others that are also back in the fold after going back to their unions and returning with impressive performances.” Western Province all-rounder Mihlali Mpongwana, meanwhile, has been named in the ODI squad following a successful domestic One-Day Cup campaign where he recorded his maiden List A ton and took 3/32 in the final against North West Dragons in October.

Both white-ball squads will be captained by Aiden Markram.

Proteas T20I squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee (1st and 2nd T20Is), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen (1st and 2nd T20Is), Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi (1st and 2nd T20Is), Andile Phehlukwayo , Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams.

ODI squad: 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, Lizaad Williams.

Test squad: 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.

(story credit: SABC Sport)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *