South Africa‘s Test captain Temba Bavuma has fully recovered from his elbow injury and is set to lead the team in the upcoming two-Test home series against Sri Lanka. The series, which begins on November 27 in Durban, will see Bavuma return to the Test fold for the first time in a while, with coach Shukri Conrad noting his excitement at rejoining the squad.
The squad also sees the return of Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee, both of whom recently made their international comebacks during South Africa’s T20I series against India. They will play their first Test matches since the previous summer, further boosting the team’s strength.
South Africa’s Squad for the Sri Lanka Tests:
- Temba Bavuma (captain)
- David Bedingham
- Gerald Coetzee
- Tony de Zorzi
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Aiden Markram
- Wiaan Mulder
- Senuran Muthusamy
- Dane Paterson
- Kagiso Rabada
- Tristan Stubbs
- Ryan Rickelton
- Kyle Verreynne
Team’s Outlook on World Test Championship (WTC)
South Africa remains in the hunt for a place in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s in 2025, with the team needing to win all four of their remaining home Tests—two against Sri Lanka and two against Pakistan—to secure their place. A three-win campaign could also be sufficient, depending on the results of other matches.
Coach Conrad expressed optimism but acknowledged the challenge, stating that the WTC standings will remain unpredictable in the coming months, with the top five teams still in contention for the final spot.
Conrad also pointed out that the team is aware of the high stakes and the need to play their best cricket to meet their goal, particularly as they face a confident Sri Lanka side.
Test Series Schedule:
- 1st Test: November 27 – Durban
- 2nd Test: December 5 – Gqeberha
South Africa’s return to Test cricket marks an exciting phase for the team, with key players making their comebacks and a strong focus on finishing the year with vital victories.
