Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced their squad for the T20 internationals series versus India to be played soon.
JP Duminy, selectors announced on Tuesday, has been named South Africa captain for the three-match Twenty20 series against India. Apart from AB de Villiers, the squad looks very different & new as the selector”s decision to rest the star players ahead of the four-match Test series against Australia from March 1. Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock are still recovering from injuries and will not be able to take part in the three-match series.
Selection convener Linda Zondi said the squad had also been selected with a view to giving chances to players who could potentially compete for South Africa in the next World T20 in 2020. First-choice spin bowler Imran Tahir has been given a break to give more game time to other spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso.
The squad includes two uncapped players in batsman Christiaan Jonker and fast bowler Junior Dala, while wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen is new to T20 Internationals.
Selectors have also decided to rest two of their mainstay fast bowlers in Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada for the three-game T20 series. Two have had a very heavy workload recently and Southafrica wants them to be as fresh for the upcoming test series versus Australia as possible.
Twenty20 squad: JP Duminy (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, AB de Villiers, Reeza Hendricks, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Chris Morris, Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts.
The T20 Internationals series starts on the 18th of February with other two games on the 21st and 24th
The series is important for South Africa now just having lost the one-day series. As India looks to gain more glory on a tour where they have a won a historic test match in Johannesburg and their first bilateral one day series as well.