Injured Bavuma out of Zimbabwe Tests, Maharaj named captain

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the two-Test series against Zimbabwe, which starts next Saturday. Keshav Maharaj will captain the team in Bavuma's absence.

Bavuma has not recovered from the hamstring strain he suffered during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia last week and will undergo further scans to determine the extent of the injury.

The squad features five uncapped players as South Africa rest several all-format players including Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada. Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi is only available for the second Test.

Bavuma, who led South Africa to the WTC title, sustained the injury on the third day of the match. He was on six runs at the time and pulled up while completing a single. He received treatment on field and batted through to tea, where he was advised not to continue batting.

After the game, Bavuma revealed that he went against medical advice because he did not want to give himself the option of not being in the middle at a crucial time in the game. In consultation with Markram, who agreed to downscale the tempo of his running between the wickets. Bavuma resumed his innings and saw South Africa through to the close of play. He finished on 66 as South Africa won by five wickets.

South Africa's next assignments after Zimbabwe, which Bavuma could be part of, are ODIs against Australia in August and England in September. Their next WTC campaign begins against Pakistan in October before a series in India in November. South Africa will not play any home Tests until October 2026, when they will host Australia. Bavuma has indicated he would like to continue playing until the 2027 home ODI World Cup, fitness permitting.

This is the third hamstring injury Bavuma has suffered in less than two years. He was injured during the 2023 ODI World Cup and played the semi-final and then again during the Boxing Day Test against India that year. He has also had a series of elbow injuries and plays with a heavily strapped left elbow.

South Africa squad: David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj (capt), Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi (second Test only), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi Yusuf