Bavuma blow for Proteas as skipper ruled out of England tour

South Africa’s white-ball skipper and Test top-order batter Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the Proteas’ July-August tour to England because of an arm injury.

Bavuma sustained the injury when diving in the field during the recent T20I series against India. He has suffered both bone and soft-tissue damage. The expected recovery time is eight weeks before he can start a return-to-play programme.

His absence has opened the door for a recall for Rilee Rossouw for the tour, which starts with three One-Day Internationals (ODI), followed by five T20Is (three against England and two against Ireland) and three Tests against England.

Keshav Maharaj will captain the Proteas in ODIs while David Miller will lead the team in the T20Is.

Bavuma’s absence is a blow, particularly after his strong form in the Test and ODI arena last summer, but it gives the likes of Khaya Zondo an opportunity to play Test cricket.

The 21-year-old Gerald Coetzee also received his maiden Proteas call-up for the T20I series, with 32-year-old Rossouw also included in that squad for the first time since the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup in India. He has 15 T20 international caps to his name. Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the ODI series as part of his workload management.

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“The national selection panel and I are relishing the opportunity to see what this strong Proteas group will produce in this all-important tour to England,” convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang said.

“With ICC World Test Championship points at stake, the team has everything to play for. “The T20I format is a high priority for us at the moment because of the ICC T20 World Cup coming up in Australia,” he said.

“We are looking to give opportunities to players that we are interested in seeing and working out the best combinations, while also trying to balance our desire to maintain enough consistency within the set-up that the players are used to playing together as a team by the time they reach Australia for the World Cup.

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“This series will go a long way in helping us achieve all of those objectives.

“While the ODI series is not for Super League points, the 50-over format is of vital importance as we look ahead to the 2023 ICC World Cup in India.

“The combinations tried and the performances we yielded will go a long way in our build-up to that tournament. This will be a very long tour for several members of the team who will participate in all three formats and the entire coaching and support staff.

“On behalf of the Selection panel, I would like to wish Mark (Boucher), our two stand-in white-ball captains, Keshav (Maharaj) and David (Miller), and Test captain Dean (Elgar), all the very best for the tour.”

Test squad: Dean Elgar (capt), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Duanne Olivier, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Lutho Sipamla, Keshav Maharaj, Glenton Stuurman, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje.

ODI squad: Keshav Maharaj (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams.

T20I squad: David Miller (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, Rilee Rossouw, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee. DM