South Africa Squad for Bangladesh Tests: Bavuma to Lead, Ngidi Out; Zorzi, Hamza, Nortje Trio Return

Summary

South Africa named a 15-player squad for the two-match Dafabet Test series against Bangladesh later this month
Temba Bavuma will captain the side after South Africa’s recent 2-1 Test series win over Australia
Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza and Anrich Nortje return from injury to strengthen the squad

South Africa have named a 15-player squad for a two-match Dafabet test series against Bangladesh later this month, with three players returning from injury and Lungi Ngidi left out as he continues rehabilitation.

Temba Bavuma will captain the newly-ranked No 1 test side in the home series on the Highveld. South Africa go into the contest after beating Australia 2-1 in their most recent test series.

The first test will be played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg from 15 to 19 November. The second will follow at SuperSport Park in Centurion from 23 to 27 November.

Squad Changes Explained

Tony de Zorzi returns after recovering from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the test series against Australia.

Lions batter Zubayr Hamza has also been included in the squad. His selection adds another batting option to South Africa’s top order for the two-match series.

Anrich Nortje also returns after being sidelined for two weeks with a groin injury. He joins a pace group that includes Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder.

Ngidi misses out. The fast bowler was not considered for selection as he continues his rehabilitation.

Fixtures And Venue

The squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 11 November.

The first test starts on Sunday, 15 November, at 10am at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. It will run until Thursday, 19 November.

The second test starts on Monday, 23 November, at 10am at SuperSport Park in Centurion. It is scheduled to end on Friday, 27 November.

Coach Conrad’s Outlook

South Africa’s head coach linked the squad selection to the team’s recent win over Australia and the conditions expected on the Highveld.

“Coming off a hard fought series against Australia, our focus will be on carrying that momentum into the Bangladesh series, which is our next big assignment of the summer,” Conrad said.

He also pointed to the likely balance of the attack in Johannesburg and Centurion. “Traditionally, surfaces on the Highveld favours pace and bounce, although we have seen the Wanderers offer some assistance to spin in recent times. So with that in mind, there will be greater focus on our seam-bowling options,” Conrad said.

Conrad also warned against taking Bangladesh lightly. “We know the threat Bangladesh pose and we expect their quicks to be very effective in Highveld conditions,” Conrad said.

The coach welcomed the return of options at the top of the order. “In terms of our batting options, it’s good to welcome Tony back following his recovery from injury, while Zubayr’s inclusion gives us further depth to our top order,” Conrad said.

He added that the final combination is still open. “The build-up to the first test will give us the opportunity to assess our options and settle on the best combination for the conditions,” Conrad said.

Series Context

South Africa have recent home success against Bangladesh. The last time the two sides met on South African soil was in 2022, when the hosts won the series 2-0.