South Africa’s skipper, Temba Bavuma, has been ruled out of the first Test against Bangladesh due to an elbow injury sustained during the recent ODI series against Ireland. The injury also caused Bavuma to miss the final ODI in Abu Dhabi, and he returned home for treatment.
This isn’t the first time the right-handed batter has been troubled by his elbow, as he faced similar issues in 2022. In Bavuma’s absence, Aiden Markram will take over the captaincy for the opening Test, which is scheduled to begin on October 21 in Dhaka. Markram, the T20I captain for South Africa, has yet to lead in Test cricket.
Dewald Brevis Earns Maiden Test Call-Up
Explosive batter Dewald Brevis has been named as Bavuma’s replacement in the Test squad. Known for his aggressive stroke play in the franchise T20 circuit, Brevis is set to make his Test debut.
He had previously made his international debut in T20Is during the home series against Australia last year but struggled to make an impact, scoring just five runs in two innings. Despite his limited experience in red-ball cricket, Brevis has shown promise in first-class cricket, amassing 749 runs in 12 matches at an average of 37.45. His last first-class appearance was in September 2024.
Ngidi Replaces Burger in South Africa Squad
In another change to the South African squad, fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has replaced left-arm seamer Nandre Burger, who has been sidelined due to a “lumbar stress reaction.” Burger, who didn’t play any matches against Ireland, will miss the entire Bangladesh series. Ngidi’s inclusion adds strength to South Africa’s bowling attack, which will be crucial against a Bangladesh team looking to bounce back from a 2-0 Test series defeat in India.
The upcoming series against South Africa will also serve as all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s farewell from Test cricket, marking the end of an illustrious career.
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