This is our best team outside the rested five players, says Shukri Conrad

IOL News

21 hours ago

Keshav Maharaj Keshav Maharaj and captain Temba Bavuma among the seasoned campaigners named in the squad to tour Zimbabwe later this month. | AFP
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has rested five key players for the upcoming Test tour to Zimbabwe later this month, where South Africa will play two-match Tests at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
The players are fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, batters Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs, who have been juggling all formats of international cricket and the various T20 leagues around the world.
The idea is to rest the key players so that they can return fresh for the new cycle, a cycle which includes Test tours to India and Pakistan, two subcontinent countries which are difficult to tour.
Conrad believes that the selected players are the next best for the Test side outside the five rested all-format players.
"We've rested five of our cross-format players because of a heavy workload post the Zim series, and this will be the next best group of players that could potentially play for South Africa in Test cricket.
"So, where does it fit in? We still got to put our best teams, and outside of the five guys that are being rested, I believe that this is the next best 15 or 16, so to speak," Conrad told the media on Friday.
"But it is a great opportunity where we keep one eye on possibly Pakistan and India, where we're probably going to have to play two or three spinners. So it'll be a great opportunity for Prenelan Subrayen to play both Test matches with Kesh, with a view to the upcoming series later.
"And then also have a look at how some of the younger bucks go. Matthew Breetzke had one go at it in Bangladesh, left a straight one. He's been our reserve batter, so he's the next man up again.
"We're obviously looking to win the series in Zimbabwe, but like we do everything else, and we've got to show them the necessary respect and Test cricket the necessary respect by selecting what we believe are our best teams. So as I mentioned, outside of the guys rested, this is our best team."
Titans top-order batter, Lesego Senokwane, has received a maiden Test call-up following being a top performer in domestic cricket for several years.
Youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius and fast bowler Codi Yusuf also received their maiden call-ups, while uncapped players Dewald Brevis and Prenalan Subrayen are also included in the squad.
Conrad told the media that he has known Senokwane for a long time and that his performances in the CSA Four-Day competition have warranted his selection.
"I've known Lesego (Senokwane) for a few years now as well. His form took a slight dip, but that's pretty natural. But if you look at his form in the last two years in First-Class cricket, right up here, it's always nice to be able to have young opening bats," said Conrad.
"So, as much as you want to build your reserves in the bowling department, you also want to build your reserves in the batting department. So, someone like Lesego has done particularly well, plays the short ball really well. And yeah, he's been a real journeyman in our first-class game, and his performances definitely warrant his selection.
"And again, it's a great opportunity. We've included a bit more experienced guy in Zubay Hamza as well. So, there'll be enough experience to guide some of these younger bucks along as well."
South Africa Test Squad against Zimbabwe
Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne and Codi Yusuf.