Rabada retains his place for WTC final, despite the drugs saga

South Africa Squad

Apart from Rabada, Lungi Ngidi returns to the squad after recovering from a groin injury which kept him out of the squad for more than eight months.Ngidi last played for South Africa against the West Indies in Port-of-Spain. Corbin Bosch also retains his place after an outstanding debut against Pakistan in Centurion last year. He became the first player to notch up the highest score in Test cricket batting at number 9. He scored an unbeaten 81 batting at number 9. His stroke making display batting in that position stunned the Pakistanis. Another player who retained his place after his brilliant bowling performance is Dane Paterson. 
 

Paterson made a comeback into the South African Test team last year against New Zealand after playing his last three Tests more than four years ago. After making the comeback against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Paterson stole the show by taking 13 wickets in just four matches including two five wicket hauls. Surprisingly the likes of Anrich Nortje, Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee didn’t find a spot in the 15 members squad. Coetzee’s omission is quite strange; the tall lanky pacer has taken 14 wickets in four tests in which he played. CSA in a release mentioned the test squad will play a warm up match against Zimbabwe from June 3 to 6 in Arundel. But the likes of Bosch, Ngidi, Rabada, Jansen, Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickleton all will be likely unavailable as they are in the IPL.
 

• Temba Bavuma ©

• Tony De Zorzi

• Marco Jansen

• David Bedingham

• Keshav Maharaj

• Aiden Markram

• Wiaan Mulder

• Senuran Muthusamy

• Lungi Ngidi

• Kagiso Rabada

• Dane Paterson

• Ryan Rickleton

• Kyle Verreynne

• Tristan Stubbs

Captain Temba Bavuma on WTC Final

Earlier in the year after beating Pakistan 2-0 in the series, Bavuma talked about the opportunity of doing something special for South Africa. “ The highest point is probably now, qualifying for the WTC Final. That- next to me making my debut for South Africa- will be one of the biggest things. Hopefully, I’ll be fit around the time. That’s probably the biggest achievement for myself personally, and probably for the group as well.”

We have an opportunity to do something special for the country. One thing I know is with that group of players everyone will try and run through a brick wall to make sure we get on the right side of that result.” a confident Bavuma said. After recovering from an elbow injury, captain Temba Bavuma needs to find form from the ball itself because the WTC final is a one-off Test match. And if the captain doesn’t get going the team will be under pressure given the kind of batting line up South Africa have. The batting order is highly dependent on Aiden Markram and skipper Temba Bavuma as rest of the batters are a bit inexperienced. Talented batters like Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickleton have to support the likes of Markram and Bavuma.  For South Africa to do something special, the batters need to bat out of their skin against a quality bowling attack like Australia.