Temba Bavuma ruled out; Aiden Markram named captain as South Africa announce squad for Pakistan test tour

South Africa will play two tests against Pakistan next month.

South Africa Cricket Team announced their squads for the upcoming multi-format series against Pakistan Cricket Team on Monday, September 22. Skipper Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the test series against Pakistan and Aiden Markram will lead the team in his absence.

Bavuma will miss the entire tour due to his ongoing recovery from a calf injury, which he sustained during the recent tour of England. Moreover, Keshav Maharaj is recovering from a groin injury and will only be available for the second test.

Spinner Simon Harmer, who last played a test match in March 2023, has been recalled for the test series against Pakistan. Zubayr Hamza is another player who has made a comeback to the test team. His last test match was in February 2024 against New Zealand.

Aiden Markram to lead South Africa in test series against Pakistan

South Africa Test squad against Pakistan: Aiden Markram (C), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Keshav Maharaj (only second test).

The South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025 will begin with the first test on October 12. The venue of the match is Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The second test will be played from October 20 to 24 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Notably, this test series will be the first campaign for both the teams in ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. South Africa and Pakistan will also clash in three T20Is and an equal number of ODIs after the test series.

Senior members like Markram, Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen have been rested for the T20I and ODI series against Pakistan due to workload management.

In Markram and Bavuma’s absence, David Miller will lead the T20I squad, while Matthew Breetzke has been named as captain for the ODI series. Surprisingly, Quindon de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and has been included in both white-ball squads for the tour.

South Africa T20I squad against Pakistan: David Miller (C), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams.

South Africa ODI squad against Pakistan: Matthew Breetzke (C), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile.

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