The uncapped Pieter Malan will likely open the batting alongside the experienced Dean Elgar during the Proteas’ second Test against England at Newlands in Cape Town next week.

The injured Aiden Markram has been ruled out of the rest of the four-Test series, leaving Malan on the brink of a Test debut.

Malan has relished a fine stretch of form for the Cape Cobras at franchise level and Western Province in provincial cricket recently.

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‘My goal is the same as it was when I was playing at Western Province, pushing for a contract with the Cobras. To play for the Proteas, it’s obviously a goal of mine, yes, as it should be for any cricket player, but I don’t focus on it too much,’ Malan told SA Cricket magazine earlier this year.

‘I’m definitely not preoccupied by one day perhaps playing for the Proteas. I just want to keep putting in good performances and hopefully get rewarded along the way. Anywhere I play, I just try do as well as I can and what’s supposed to happen will hopefully happen.’

The 30-year-old Malan was added to the squad for the third Test against Pakistan earlier this year. He acted as injury cover for Markram then, but was not named in the XI.

‘Pieter has an outstanding track record in four-day domestic cricket over the past two seasons, having made more than 1700 runs including seven centuries. He has also made the step up to South Africa A level, first against Australia and then against India A on the sub-continent,’ said Cricket South Africa convener of selectors at the time Linda Zondi.

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