South Africa have officially unveiled their squads for the upcoming all-formats tour of Pakistan, and there’s already plenty of drama before a ball has even been bowled.
Bavuma Ruled Out, Markram Takes Over
Regular Test skipper Temba Bavuma won’t be making the trip after suffering a calf strain that’s expected to keep him sidelined for up to two months. That opens the door for Aiden Markram, who’s been handed the captaincy for the two-match Test series starting 12 October in Lahore.
The selectors have gone spin-heavy for the subcontinent conditions, naming four frontline slow bowlers. But there’s a catch: veteran left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj will only be available from the second Test.
A Big Comeback
In the white-ball formats, the headlines belong to Quinton de Kock. The former skipper, who had stepped away from ODIs in 2023, has reversed his retirement and been named in both the ODI and T20I squads. His return is expected to add experience and firepower at the top of the order.
Three Captains for Three Formats
The Proteas are going with split leadership for this tour:
Tests: Aiden Markram
ODIs: Matthew Breetzke
T20Is: David Miller
This approach highlights South Africa’s strategy to spread leadership responsibilities and build depth across formats.
The Squads in Full
Test Squad: Aiden Markram (capt), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (available from 2nd Test), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne.
ODI Squad: Matthew Breetzke (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile.
T20I Squad: David Miller (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams.
What’s Next?
South Africa will kick off their tour with the first Test in Lahore on 12 October, followed by the second in Karachi. The three ODIs and three T20Is will round off what promises to be a high-intensity series between two sides looking to fine-tune their squads ahead of next year’s big tournaments.
