Cape Town: South Africa have included uncapped seamers Daryn Dupavillon and Ottniel Baartman in an extended 21-man Test squad for their first return to Pakistan for 14 years later this month.
South Africa will play Tests in Karachi and Rawalpindi, starting on January 26 and also welcome back fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius, as well as spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde.
“Considering that the conditions that will be faced are largely unknown to the South African team, we wanted to strengthen the attack with the skill sets that Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde have to offer, while giving players like Daryn Dupavillon and Ottniel Baartman an opportunity after making strong cases for themselves in recent seasons,” convener of selectors Victor Mpitsang said in a media release from Cricket South Africa on Friday.
The side will be led by captain Quinton de Kock as they come off a 2-0 home series win over Sri Lanka that concluded on Tuesday.
The squad will depart for Pakistan on January 15 and enter into a period of quarantine in Karachi before beginning training and intra-squad practice matches.
The decision to take an extended squad provides cover in the event of Covid-19 infections or injuries, with the quarantine period requirement meaning replacements cannot be flown in at short notice.
International cricket has returned to Pakistan in the past 16 months following a militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.
The country has hosted Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since September 2019, while England recently announced a short two-match 20-over series in October in the build-up to the T20 World Cup in India.
Squad:
Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman.
