South Africa announced their Tests, ODI and T20 squads for the 72-day-long tour of India, starting on October 2. The Proteas will begin their tour with a tune-up game on September 29 in New Delhi.
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir earned a recall to the Test side after a gap of nine months while off-break bowler Dane Piedt was also back. The duo join the right-arm off-break bowler Simon Harmer in a three-pronged spin attack. The 30-year-old Dane Vilas is expected to don the wicket-keeper’s gloves in Tests after the selectors decided to retain him at Quinton de Kock’s expense.
“It is very important that we maintain consistency in our selections and Dane hardly had the chance to make his mark in Bangladesh where the series was so badly disrupted by the weather.” The Test side also sees the return of AB de Villiers, who was granted paternal leave for the Tests against Bangladesh.
Speaking about the spin department, Cricket South Africa (CSA) Selection Convenor, Linda Zondi said the idea was to ensure that the team was well covered in terms of variety. “We want to keep all our options open for the Test Series,” Zondi was quoted as saying by CSA. “We also have JP Duminy as an option in this department and I believe we have covered all our bases by having both holding and attacking spin options in our squad. It is good to have Dane back from his injury and Imran was our No. 1 spinner for our last Test series on the sub-continent against Sri Lanka.”
In ODIs, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock made a comeback after being dropped for the home series against New Zealand. De Kock’s solid performance for South Africa A, where he peeled off three centuries, earned him his place back in the side at the cost of the 36-year-old Morne van Wyk.
For T20Is, uncapped 25-year-old all-rounder Khaya Zondo has been included to the Faf du Plessis-led side as South Africa look to test out different combinations ahead of the World T20 in India, next year. Zondo has come in for Rilee Rossouw, who has been ruled out due to a stress-related fracture.
Test squad: Hashim Amla (c), AB de Villiers, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar , Simon Harmer, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas.
ODI squad: AB de Villiers (c), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn.
T20 squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Eddie Leie, David Miller, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, David Wiese, Khaya Zondo.
