Temba Bavuma named in South Africa A squad for India tour

South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma is set to return to action from a calf injury on an A squad tour to India later this month. Bavuma is currently sitting out the Test series in Pakistan, and has also not been named in the ODI squad with a view to recovering in time to lead South Africa in India. He will be available for the second of two first-class matches to be played in Bengaluru.

South Africa will play two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is in India between November 14 and December 19. It is their second successive away tour to the subcontinent after the ongoing one in Pakistan, and the second in the 2025-2027 WTC cycle. Bavuma was not able to lead them immediately in defence of their WTC title after he strained his calf during the white-ball series in England in September.

The four-day squad will be captained by top-order batter Marques Ackerman, and includes Zubayr Hamza and Prenelan Subrayan, who are both with the Test squad in Pakistan. Subrayen played in the Lahore match, which South Africa lost by 93 runs. Seamer Codi Yusuf, who has played white-ball cricket for South Africa has also been named. The two four-day games will be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from October 30 to November 9.

South Africa A will also play three fifty-over matches against India A in Rajkot between November 13 to 19. Teenage left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka will make his comeback from a hamstring injury, which has kept him out of the white-ball series in Pakistan, in those matches.