Cape Town: A fit-again Faf du Plessis will return to lead a full-strength South Africa squad, also comprising pacer Dale Steyn, for the first Test against India beginning here on January 5.
Du Plessis and Steyn could not be part of the D-N Test against Zimbabwe due to illness. AB de Villiers, who played his first Test in almost two years, had led South Africa to a comfortable win against Zimbabwe in Du Plessis’s absence. Fast bowling all-rounder Chris Morris too has been added to the 15-man squad, joining the likes of Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander and Andile Phehlukwayo in a formidable pace attack.
Morris, who has not played for South Africa since suffering a back injury during the tour of England in July, has replaced fast bowler Duanne Olivier in the only change in the 15-man squad that was picked for the Zimbabwe Test.
There is stiff competition in the pace department and it remains to be seen who will be picked in the XI alongside probable starters Rabada and Philander.
Steyn, who is returning to action after a shoulder surgery that kept him out of the team for more than a year, has a good chance to play. Morkel has made matters tough for selectors by taking a five-wicket haul in his comeback game against Zimbabwe.
Quinton de Kock, who pulled a hamstring while batting on Day I of the one-off Test, has been named as the sole wicketkeeper in the squad. De Villiers had kept wickets in his absence.
The lone specialist spinner in the squad is left-armer Keshav Maharaj, who took a five-for in the second innings against Zimbabwe. Theunis de Bruyn, picked as a reserve batsman against Zimbabwe, retained his spot for the series-opener.
De Villiers’s welcome return to the five-day format has bolstered the batting. He had a decent outing against Zimbabwe, scoring a 65-ball 53.
India, who have never won a Test series in South Africa, arrived here on Thursday night after a long flight from Mumbai. The remaining two games of the three-match Test series will be played in Centurion (January 13-17) and Johannesburg (January 24-28).
Captain Virat Kohli is one of the greats of the modern game, but victory on South African soil will be a box that he desperately wants to tick.
India’s record in South Africa, though, is far from inspiring. Since 1992, they have won just two of the 17 Tests they have played so far in South Africa.
Of the six Test series between the two sides on South African soil, the hosts have won five, with a 1-1 draw back in the 2010-11 season being India’s best return. The last time India played Tests in South Africa was in 2013-14 which they lost 0-1.
THE SQUAD
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn. Agencies
