South Africa announce squad for Test series against Pakistan

South Africa has decided to take a chance on the fitness of Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder by naming both players in the squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan, scheduled over the festive period.

Maharaj, who sustained a groin strain during warm-ups for the first ODI against Pakistan in Paarl on Tuesday, was pulled from the playing XI just before the toss. He is set to undergo a scan on Wednesday to assess the extent of the injury. If Maharaj is ruled out, left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy is the only other spin option in the squad.

Mulder, who fractured his right middle finger while batting against Sri Lanka in Durban last month, is in the final stages of recovery. If cleared to play, he will be included in the Boxing Day Test match. Should he be fit, top-order batter Matthew Breetzke will be released from the squad.

In a noteworthy move, South Africa has called up two uncapped players: seam bowlers Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka. Bosch, the son of former international cricketer Tertius Bosch, earns his first call-up after a solid performance for the South African Invitation XI against the England Lions, where he claimed 1 for 21 in five overs. Maphaka, who was part of the squad for the Sri Lanka series as cover for the injured Gerald Coetzee but did not play, is now included in the squad for the ongoing ODI series against Pakistan.

The South African Test squad also includes seven other players from the current 50-over squad: captain Temba Bavuma, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kagiso Rabada, and Maharaj.

Rabada and Jansen, who both featured in the first ODI, are expected to play limited roles in the upcoming Test series as South Africa manages their bowling resources. The Proteas are already missing several key bowlers due to injury, with Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, and Lizaad Williams unavailable until next year.

The series against Pakistan is crucial for South Africa, as they need just one more victory to secure a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The two Test matches will be held at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Boxing Day, followed by the New Year's Test at Newlands in Cape Town.

South Africa Squad for Test Series Against Pakistan:
Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk).