Northerns Titans seamer Corbin Bosch has earned his maiden Test call-up, while uncapped 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka also features in the squad to face Pakistan.
Bosch has been in fine form in first-class cricket, boasting an overall tally of 72 wickets at an average of 36.75 and an economy rate of 3.24 across 34 matches. He also averages over 40 with the bat, showcasing his all-round ability.
Bosch recently featured in the SA Invitational XI side that defeated the England Lions in Cape Town.
Joining him in the squad is Maphaka, who was part of the squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka.
Lions all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has also been included squad as he completes the final phase of his recovery from a fractured right middle finger, which kept him out of the second Test against Sri Lanka.
If Mulder is selected for the first Test, Warriors batsman Matthew Breetzke will be released from the squad.
Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj sustained an acute groin strain on Tuesday during warm-ups ahead of the first ODI against Pakistan at Boland Park in Paarl. He will undergo a scan on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury.
Test captain Temba Bavuma will lead the side in what marks the final Test series of the summer and the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 cycle, where South Africa currently occupy top spot.
Commenting on the squad, coach Shukri Conrad said: “We head into this series with a clear focus, with a spot in the World Test Championship final being the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We’ve selected a squad which gives us the best chance to achieve that.
“It’s an exciting time for South African cricket and we’re particularly looking forward to this battle against Pakistan. They always pose a strong threat with the talented fast bowlers they produce and I expect it to be no different this time around.
“In terms of our own squad, we have added Corbin to the mix. His all-round ability with both bat and ball adds depth and his pace brings an extra bite to our attack, so we’re excited to see him make that step up to Test cricket.
“Dane Paterson really impressed us against Sri Lanka and we look forward to seeing him again. Overall, the pace attack is a really good one. We are keeping a close eye on Kesh and hope his injury is not too serious.
“A lot of the batters stood up when they were needed against Sri Lanka and this is another opportunity for all of them to showcase what they can do against a good Pakistan bowling attack.”
Proteas Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c, Lions), David Bedingham (WP), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Tony de Zorzi (WP), Marco Jansen (Dragons), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Aiden Markram (Titans), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Dane Paterson (WP), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), and Kyle Verreynne (WP).
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
