ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa name Test squad for Australia series

Uncapped spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj have been included in South Africa's Test squad for the series with Australia.

___5586845___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___5586845___2016___10___10___16___tabraizshamsi-cropped_6hhzopcj3jl31t7pcd80uijkk

Uncapped spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj have been included in South Africa's Test squad for the series with Australia.

Batsman Rilee Rossouw is also in line to win his first Test cap having been named in the party for the three-match series.

Seamer Morne Morkel, who missed the recent series with New Zealand, is back in the squad, though he will have to come through a Sunfoil Series match between Multiply Titans and the Warriors, which starts on Tuesday, for his place to be confirmed.

Dean Elgar is also back from injury while Dane Vilas has been selected as a second wicketkeeper but spinner Dane Piedt misses out having played in both home Tests against New Zealand.

ADVERTISEMENT

With captain AB de Villiers out because of a persistent elbow injury, Faf du Plessis will once again skipper the side.

"Shamsi has made huge progress over the course of the last year in the longer format," Cricket South Africa selection convener Linda Zondi said.

"He took 41 wickets at an average of less than 20 in seven matches in last season's Sunfoil Series and he certainly offers something different as an attacking spinner.

"Maharaj is also right on top of his game. He took 13 wickets in the Sunfoil Series match at the weekend and also made a run-a-ball 72.

"Basically, we are following a horses for courses policy as we feel that spinners who turn the ball away from the right-hander are going to be particularly useful under Australian conditions and against the Test batsmen we are likely to face.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I am excited about the cover we have in this area with a wrist spinner and a left-arm orthodox spinner with JP Duminy able to offer the right-arm variety as well."

While Maharaj has yet to represent the senior South Africa side in any form, Shamsi made his debut against Australia in one-day cricket back in June and took three wickets in the Proteas' six-wicket ODI win over the same opposition on Sunday.

Rossouw has been a regular in South Africa's limited-overs sides, averaging 36.03 in 34 ODI innings with two centuries and seven fifties. He also has two Twenty20 half-centuries in 14 innings.

The first Test starts on November 3 in Perth before further encounters in Hobart and Adelaide.

Squad in full:

ADVERTISEMENT

Faf du Plessis (captain), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Dane Vilas.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT