Matthew Breetzke gets Proteas Test nod for West Indies series
Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad has called up Warriors captain Matthew Breetzke for the two-match Test series against the West Indies, while all-rounder Marco Jansen is being rested.
Conrad has named a 16-player squad for the series, which starts on August 7 in Trinidad and Tobago. It also features a host of players who featured at the T20 World Cup, where South Africa made the final.
Breetzke received his maiden Test call-up after scoring 322 runs at an average of 46 in last season’s domestic four-day competition, including a top score of 188. The Warriors captain also lead South Africa A in a four-day match against India A in December.
"We have one new face in the squad, Matthew Breetzke, who is selected on the back of an excellent past season,“ Conrad said.
Lions wicket-keeper batter Ryan Rickelton makes his return to the red-ball set-up for the first time since South Africa hosted the West Indies in March 2023.
All-rounder Jansen, however, was not selected in the squad, with Wiaan Mulder the favourite to fill the all-rounder role in the team.
“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,” said Conrad.
It will be South Africa’s first Test series in the Caribbean since June 2021, when the team claimed a 2-0 series win over the hosts.
Red-ball head coach Shukri Conrad has today named a 16-player squad for the two-match Test series against West Indies, which starts on 07 August in Trinidad and Tobago.
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) July 8, 2024
Dafabet Warriors batter Matthew Breetzke has received his maiden Test call-up after impressing in last… pic.twitter.com/kBlTnDkugp
"We are looking forward to returning to Test cricket after a busy period of limited-overs cricket over the past few months,“ said Conrad.
"This tour is extremely important for us as we aim to improve our standing in the ICC World Test Championship. We have therefore selected our strongest possible squad and look forward to strong performances in the Caribbean.“
Proteas Test squad against West Indies
Temba Bavuma, 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, and Kyle Verreynne.
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