Fast bowler Beuran Hendricks and uncapped batsman Keegan Petersen have been left out of an updated Proteas Test squad after the whole team returned negative Covid-19 results on Tuesday.
Two players from the original squad tested positive for the coronavirus last week before the entire squad returned negative results on Sunday.
Cricket South Africa confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the third round of testing also yielded zero positive cases but the updated squad saw Hendricks and Petersen absent, meaning they were likely the two players, who tested positive last week.
READ: No new positive cases for Proteas
The Proteas have been conducting training sessions at SuperSport Park since they’ve entered the bio-bubble at the Irene Country Lodge in Pretoria over the past weekend where the uncapped trio of Migael Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla and Raynard van Tonder joined the team as cover for Hendricks and Petersen.
With Kagiso Rabada unavailable for the Test series, Hendricks would most likely have been first in line to replace him.
The door is now firmly open for the likes of Glenton Stuurman or Sipamla to possibly make their Test debuts on Saturday, pending on whether the Proteas selectors opt for seven batsmen or make any use of allrounders Dwaine Pretorius and Wiaan Mulder.
Action from Centurion will get under way at 10:00am on Saturday morning and will be live on SuperSport Cricket 212.
Updated Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Temba Bavuma (Imperial Lions), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), Faf du Plessis (Momentum Multiply Titans), Dean Elgar (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Glenton Stuurman (Warriors), Sarel Erwee (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Wiaan Mulder (Imperial Lions), Kyle Verreynne (Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras), Migael Pretorius (VKB Knights), Dwaine Pretorius (Imperial Lions), Lutho Sipamla (Imperial Lions), Raynard van Tonder (VKB Knights).
