South Africa announces 16-man Test squad for Australia tour; Gerald Coetzee receives maiden call-up

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced a 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, which begins at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 17.

The Proteas side will leave for Australia on December 1. Eight day’s after their arrival Down Under, Dean Elgar’s side will play an unofficial four-day match against Cricket Australia XI from December 9-12 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

The touring party will see a new fresh in Gerald Coetzee and some changes for the bilateral series.

22-year-old Coetzee has received maiden international call-up but has only played 13 first-class games. He is likely to be a back-up for the frontline seamers in the squad – Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen.

Wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen, who played a single Test against India in 2019, has been picked in the place of Ryan Rickelton, while batsmen Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen are back in the squad after regaining full fitness.

Also returning is middle-order batter Theunis de Bruyn, who last played a Test in October 2019. The 30-year-old has 12 Tests to his name with 428 runs, including a century against Sri Lanka.

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who sustained a low-grade groin injury during the recently-concluded T20 World Cup, has been cleared for the tour.

South Africa squad:

Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Erwee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Glenton Stuurman, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Khaya Zondo.

Schedule:

• December 17-21, 2022: First Test, The Gabba in Brisbane
• December 26-30, 2022: Second Test, MCG in Melbourne
• January 4-8, 2023: Third Test, SCG in Sydney

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November 14, 2022 at 05:44PM