Keshav Maharaj, who will miss the first Test of the two-match series in Pakistan, is currently playing first-class cricket in South African domestic circuit.
Maharaj will miss the first Test in Pakistan
Defending champions South Africa and Pakistan will both begin their World Test Championship 2025-2027 campaigns with a two-match Test series in the latter. South Africa included Maharaj in the squad – but only for the second Test, in Rawalpindi from October 20. He will miss the first, in Lahore from October 12 due to a groin injury.
This is a major blow, for spinners have accounted for 130 out of 147 wickets in the last four Tests in Pakistan since the hosts decided to roll out “extreme” spin pitches. The first South African spinner to claim 200 Test wickets, Maharaj would have been an invaluable option.
In Maharaj’s absence, South Africa’s spin attack would have borne an inexperienced look: left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy has 11 wickets at 34.63 from five Tests, while off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen has four at 19.50 from his only Test. To boost their attack, the visitors have recalled Simon Harmer. He might not have played a Test Test since March 2023, but he has 983 first-class wickets, while his 39 wickets from 10 Tests have come at 27.56.
Maharaj is playing domestic cricket
In the interim period, Maharaj has been playing for (leading, in fact) the Dolphins in the CSA 4-Day Series Division 1. He made a 52-ball 43 not out from No.9 as the Dolphins made 389.
More significantly, he took out the Lions’ Nos. 3, 4, 5 to reduce them to 249-6 before Connor Esterhuizen (203) and Delano Potgieter (169 not out) put on 330, the highest seventh-wicket stand in first-class cricket on South African soil. Maharaj bowled 49 overs in the innings, a good sign fitness-wise for the Proteas as he works up his bowling workload.
The Lions eventually declared on 619-7, with a lead of 230. The Dolphins finished the day on 27-0.
