JOHANNESBURG, JULY 8: Temba Bavuma will return to international cricket for the first time this year when he captains South Africa in a two-match Test series in the West Indies next month.
His lengthy absence from South African teams illustrates what coach Shukri Conrad says is the reality of a modern cricketing world dominated by white-ball cricket.
"It is what it is and we just have to make it work," Conrad said at a press conference announcing a 16-man squad for the tour.
White-ball and English county commitments mean that Conrad will only have eight of his 16-man squad available for a pre-tour camp in Durban next week.
Bavuma was injured during South Africas first Test against India last December and missed the second Test in which South Africa were beaten in one-and-a-half days on a sub-standard pitch.
He then missed a two-Test series in New Zealand when South Africa sent a weakened squad to defeat in both matches because contracted players were compelled to play in the SA20, a local franchise competition.
Bavuma was not involved in the T20 World Cup in which South Africa were beaten finalists.
Most of the countrys T20 stars are playing in the Major League Cricket tournament in the United States, which ends on July 28. Those players selected for the West Indies tour will fly directly to the Caribbean in time for a warm-up match ahead of the first Test. Conrad said he chose to take a positive view of the situation.
"Weve got the luxury of a warm-up game, so weve got 10 days in Trinidad before the first Test match," he said.
"I mentioned to Temba that its the first time as a Test unit that we
e going to spend some extended time together.
The squad for the Tests in Trinidad and Guyana includes one uncapped player, batsman Matthew Breetzke, 25, who has played six T20 internationals and has been playing for English county Northamptonshire.
Squad: 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, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wkt). —AFP
