South Africa will begin their two-Test series against Pakistan on Saturday – here's their predicted XI for the first match.
The World Test Champions will be without captain Temba Bavuma for the whole series. Bavuma was ruled out with a calf strain he sustained on South Africa's recent white-ball tour of England. Aiden Markram will captain in his place, while Keshav Maharaj has also been ruled out of the first Test with injury.
This will be South Africa's first series in the new edition of the World Test Championship, following their victory in the final of the previous tournament over Australia at Lord's this summer.
South Africa Test squad: Aiden Markram (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne
Top order
Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder
Markram will play his first red-ball game since the World Test Championship final in June, having been one of a number of players to miss South Africa's Test series against Zimbabwe. He ceded his opening spot to Tony de Zorzi for that series, with Matthew Breetzke and Lesego Senokwane also tested at the top. De Zorzi is the only one of those to retain his place in the squad. The 28-year-old hit a Test century in Bangladesh last year in not dissimilar conditions to which South Africa expect in Pakistan. However, Ryan Rickelton will likely maintain his spot as Markram's opening partner.
Head coach Shukri Conrad also hinted that South Africa may move away from their tested experiment with Wiaan Mulder in the No.3 position. "Wiaan has made the No. 3 spot his own but it could change based on what we see in Pakistan," said Conrad. "Its comes down to the balance of our bowling attack and which seamers there are. I can't tell you who will be No.3, 4 and 5 in the line-up but it will be similar to what we had in Bangladesh."
Tristan Stubbs batted at No.3 during South Africa's series in Bangladesh last year, with Mulder in his then usual position in the lower middle order. However, fielding Mulder at three would allow South Africa to field three spinners, in conditions Conrad labelled as "extreme" in regard to spin.
Middle order
Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk)
The change South Africa will be forced to make in their middle-order is how to replace Bavuma. With Stubbs and Bedingham set in, Dewald Brevis is the most likely in the squad to come in. Brevis played both Tests in Zimbabwe, hitting a half-century on debut. "He'd definitely be an option, especially with the way he plays spin," said Markram. "If the conditions are going to be exaggerated, he can quickly change the momentum of the game doing what he does and playing the way he does. He'll be a definite consideration."
Teenage sensation Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored a century on debut in the Zimbabwe Tests, but had only been included in the white-ball squads for the Pakistan tour.
Bowlers
Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer
With Maharaj out with a groin strain until the second Test, South Africa have three spinners available to select from. Simon Harmer has been included in the squad, having not played a Test since March 2023, along with Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen. Speaking on Harmer's inclusion, Conrad said: "Pakistan is one of the tougher places to tour, and with spin-friendly conditions expected and Keshav only available from the second game, it was important to have an experienced campaigner like Simon in the squad to provide extra depth in the spin department."
The only real question South Africa have is how many spinners to play. If they opt with Mulder in the top-order, they could plump for all three available plus Kagiso Rabada. Or, they could pick two spinners, with Rabada and Marco Jansen leading the attack, and Markram as a spinner in the top order.
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