Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a 21 man Test squad that will take on India in three Test matches from 26 December to 15 January 2022. The series will form part of the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship and will be hosted in Centurion, Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.
This series will see the return to action of big names such as Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje as well as the reintroduction of seamer, Duanne Olivier, who has returned to the South African domestic set-up following a prolonged stint in the United Kingdom.
Olivier’s last Test appearance for South Africa was in Gqeberha against Sri Lanka in February of 2019. The 29-year-old has made a loud return to the CSA Four-Day Series, ending this year as the leading wicket taker, eight scalps clear of number two, Simon Harmer. Olivier has claim to 28 wickets in eight innings at an average of 11.14 and best innings bowling figures of 5/53.
Glenton Stuurman and Prenelan Subrayen have also received nods back into the team and Sisanda Magala and Ryan Rickelton will be pleased to receive their maiden Test team call-ups.
Speaking about the selection, CSA Convenor of Selectors, Victor Mpitsang said: “We as the Selectors are excited for the return of Test cricket. This format is very important to CSA and keeping it relevant and alive is one of the organisation’s priorities. We are really looking forward to the return of Dean Elgar and his men, it’s been a long few months since the last time we saw them dominate in the West Indies. We are confident in the team that we have selected and believe fully in backing the talent that we have unearthed and cultivated over the last couple of seasons and giving players the backing that they deserve when they have continuously done well over a significant period of time. This Test series is also important in terms of getting some points in the Test Championship table and we are confident that this group will pick up from where they left off and give us a good show on home soil. On behalf of the Selectors, I would like to wish Dean (Elgar), Mark Boucher and the team all of the best for the next few weeks of what I’m certain will be really entertaining cricket.”
South Africa’s Test squad vs India:
Dean Elgar (Captain), Temba Bavuma (Vice-captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keepe), Kagiso Rabada, Sarel Erwee, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Prenelan Subrayen, Sisanda Magala, Ryan Rickelton, Duanne Olivier.