The Proteas require a stand-in skipper for this week’s third and final Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, after full-time captain Faf du Plessis was suspended due to a slow over rate in the second match at Newlands in Cape Town. JONHENRY WILSON looks at the options – some more plausible than others.
- Dean Elgar
The left-handed opening batsman captained the Test XI against England at Lord’s in July 2017. He is the obvious choice to do so again, but there are outside contenders as well.
- Quinton de Kock
The wicketkeeper-batsman was the captain for two ODIs against Sri Lanka in August last year. The experienced JP Duminy and Amla were in the XIs, too, but De Kock was preferred. South Africa lost both matches.
- Hashim Amla
The veteran batsman captained the Test team from mid-2014 to early 2016, but has since vetoed suggestions or insistence that he do so again. He won’t likely say yes this time, to instead focus on his primary role with the bat.
- Aiden Markram
Tipped as the country’s future Test captain, the young opener held the position for February 2018’s series defeat to India. The additional responsibility evidently hampered his primary role with the bat, too.
- Temba Bavuma
The diminutive middle-order batsman boasts franchise captaincy experience – and would be the right political pick for a team arguably encumbered or potentially limited by transformation targets.
- Theunis de Bruyn
The least likely option, unless the Proteas plan to truly test the struggling middle-order batsman’s longevity – or lack thereof – in the Test XI. He’s done well enough with the Knights captaincy in the past.
Photo: Gallo
