Theunis de Bruyn, one of South Africa’s brightest batting prospects, has been named in their squad for the first two matches of the three-Test series against Sri Lanka. The 24-year-old was included in a 13-man squad for the Boxing Day Test in Port Elizabeth and the Newlands Test on January 2 after AB de Villiers and Rilee Rossouw remained unavailable due to injury.
“De Bruyn is the latest player to be rewarded for consistently good form at franchise and South Africa A level,” South Africa’s selection convener, Linda Zondi, said. “He has an outstanding first-class career average of 48.73 (six centuries) and has made 423 runs at 60.42 in this season’s Sunfoil Series four-day competition.”
De Bruyn’s journey into the national squad has been unusual, in that he largely skipped the provincial setup that operates as the second tier in South Africa’s domestic system, and proceeded straight to franchise level.
He marked his List A debut for the Titans with an 85-ball century at the start of the 2014/15 season and scored a first-class double-century for South Africa A against the visiting England Lions just three months later.
Thanks to a stellar first season in franchise cricket, he became the third quickest South African batsman to reach 1000 first-class runs. Although he had a quieter second season with the Titans last term, his form has returned since he moved to the Knights last winter and took up the captaincy.
Meanwhile, Wayne Parnell has returned to the squad after missing the tour of Australia due to injury. Parnell played the last of his four Tests in February 2014 and has not been involved in any first-class cricket this season, but showed suggestions of form in the game’s shorter formats.
Fast bowler Morne Morkel was not considered for selection because of injury, while Dane Vilas and Tabraiz Shamsi have been left out from the squad that won 2-1 in Australia recently.
The series against Sri Lanka will be Faf du Plessis’ first as the official captain – so long as he does not have his punishment for ball-tampering increased by the Judicial Commissioner overseeing his appeal on Monday.
Du Plessis was found guilty of applying an artificial substance to the ball during the second Test against Australia in Hobart, but has appealed the decision.
Michael Beloff QC has been appointed as the judicial commissioner for Monday’s hearing, and has the power to “increase or decrease, amend or otherwise substitute a new decision on the appropriateness (or otherwise) of the sanction imposed at first instance.”
Cricket South Africa have not named a vice-captain in the squad for the Sri Lanka series and only intend to appoint a long-term one in January. Should du Plessis become unavailable for the first Test then an alternative captain will be named next week.
South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.
