South Africa announces Test squad for West Indies tour; Marco Jansen rested

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a revamped Test squad for their men’s upcoming tour of the West Indies, featuring some exciting inclusions and the return of familiar faces.

South Africa tour of West Indies kicks off with the first Test starting on August 7 in Trinidad, followed by the second a week later in Guyana.

Fresh faces and returning talent

David Bedingham, Dane Paterson and Dane Piedt: These players, who were part of the makeshift squad that toured New Zealand in February, have been retained for the West Indies series, offering them another chance to shine.

Matthew Breetzke: The consistent domestic performer finally got his well-deserved first Test call-up, showcasing South Africa’s commitment to rewarding strong domestic form.

Return of Ryan Rickelton: Wicket-keeper batter Rickelton is back in the mix after last featuring in the home series against the West Indies in March 2023.

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First-choice players to rejoin the fold

Except Marco Jansen, South Africa’s mainstays return to the Test arena after missing the New Zealand series due to SA20 commitments. While they endured a disappointing 2-0 loss against the Blackcaps, their focus remains sharp on the World Test Championship (WTC) finals.

“The decision to rest Marco Jansen was taken to allow for a conditioning period aimed at ensuring optimal physical and mental well-being given the season-long workloads,” South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said in his official statement.

Despite the series loss in New Zealand, South Africa sits comfortably in seventh place on the WTC table with only four matches played. With eight more Tests scheduled in this cycle (two each in the West Indies and Bangladesh, and home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan), the Proteas have a chance to climb the rankings and potentially challenge for a spot in the WTC final.

South Africa’s Test squad for West Indies tour:

Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton (wicketkeeper), Kyle Verreynne

This revamped squad promises exciting possibilities as South Africa eyes a strong showing in the Caribbean and a push towards WTC glory.

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