South Africa have announced their 14-player Test squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand in January, featuring a new captain at the helm of a relatively inexperienced team. Neil Brand, who has yet to play in an international Test match, will captain South Africa in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series against New Zealand. Only three players from the squad currently facing India are included in this team. The two-match Test series between New Zealand and South Africa is slated to be played in in February 2024.
Brand will become the first player to lead an international team on a Test debut since Lee Germon captained New Zealand in 1995. The 27-year-old Brand brings considerable First-Class experience, having played in 51 matches. He boasts a batting average of 39.27 with 2906 runs and has taken 72 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin. This squad reshuffle is a result of scheduling conflicts with the SA20, South Africa's T20 franchise tournament taking place in January, which will see most of the regular Test players participating.
"Firstly I would like to congratulate the players that will be going on a Proteas tour for the first time. It is a real honour to represent your country, so they should savour the moment," Test head coach Shukri Conrad said.
"The players picked for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand and we have full confidence they will do exactly that when we arrive for the first Test match at Mount Maunganui. Most of these guys participated in the recent 'A' series against West Indies where they showed that they have what it takes against players of international calibre. That experience will no doubt leave them in a better position for what we expect to be a testing series in New Zealand," Shukri added.
Apart from Keegan Petersen and Zubayr Hamza, David Bedingham, who recently made his Test debut, is the only player included in the touring squad who is part of the Test team for the ongoing Cape Town Test against India. The squad features six players yet to make their Test debut, with Duanne Olivier, who has played in 15 Test matches, being the most experienced among them.
If selected as captain for his first Test match, Brand will be the first player since Lee Germon in 1995 to lead an international men's team on his Test debut, provided it's not the team's first-ever Test. The tour presents a significant challenge for the inexperienced players, with World Test Championship points on the line and a formidable record to uphold. To date, New Zealand has never won a men's Test series against South Africa.
South Africa Test squad: Neil Brand (captain), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin, Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, and Khaya Zondo.
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