The Proteas will miss their inspirational captain, Temba Bavuma, who injured his hamstring in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at Lord’s last week. World Test Champions Starting Saturday, June 28, South Africa will play two Tests against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The Rainbow Nation will be led by WTC finalist left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj in the two-match series. The South African Test and ODI skipper has had hamstring injuries before. In two years, Temba Bavuma has injured his hamstring three times. He played the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final and Boxing Day Test against India while injured.
Temba Bavuma will undergo more tests to establish the injury’s severity.
South Africa has selected 15 players for the red-ball games in the adjacent country. Only the second Test, starting July 6, will feature Lungi Ngidi. The squad includes five uncapped players. Rested all-format players like Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada helped South Africa win the WTC final.
Zimbabwe played a four-day Test against England in Nottingham last month. Three Lions beat them by 45 runs in an innings. The cricket community was impressed with Brian Bennett’s 143-ball 139, which included 26 boundaries. Sikandar Raza and Sean Ervine hit fluent half-centuries in the Test match, while Blessing Muzarabani bowled Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Stokes.
South Africa: David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi (second Test only), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi
India
