Bavuma Rested, Markram Leads: South Africa Announces Squads for India Series
Nandre Burger, Bedingham, and Stubbs earn Test debuts as Rabada, de Kock, and key players skip limited-overs
Following a dismal World Cup, South Africa rested batting star Temba Bavuma for their home white-ball series against India this month. However, Bavuma will lead the side in the two-Test series, which begins on December 26.
As South Africa lost to eventual champions Australia in the World Cup semi-finals, Bavuma admitted that he was not fully fit. In the competition, he started the innings, but in his eight games, he only averaged 18.12, with a maximum score of 35.
In the T20 and ODI series against India, Aiden Markram will captain both teams—a role he may eventually assume.
After the World Cup, Quinton de Kock announced his retirement from ODIs, but he is still eligible to play T20s. However, he will miss this series in favor of playing for the Melbourne Renegades in Australia's Big Bash competition, which gets underway on Thursday.
Fast bowler Nandre Burger, who is included in the lineups for all three formats, and batsmen David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs have made their Test squad debuts.
Premier pacer Kagiso Rabada has been rested from the limited-overs games in order to be ready for the Tests, but keeper-batter Kyle Verreynne and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder have been called up for the Test and ODI series. For the same reason, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, and Gerald Coetzee will not play in the ODIs.
India's tour will begin on December 10–14 with three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in Durban, Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth), and Johannesburg.
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