South Africa rest Du Plessis for Australia ODI series

Faf du Plessis has again been left out of South Africa's One-Day International squad for the three-match series against Australia starting on Saturday, but coach Mark Boucher said on Wednesday that the veteran batsman remains in the team's future plans.

"With the completion of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the next one being three years away from now, we always saw the series against England and Australia as an opportunity to play some fresh talent," Boucher said in a media release from Cricket South Africa. "If we feel that we need to rest players, we will, as we have done in the recent past. Faf has been fantastic for us in white ball cricket and remains very much in our ODI plans and we will manage his workload for the near future diligently.”

"I would like to strengthen our depth pool right now and see what players we have out there. I feel that this is the time and opportunity to do so," he added.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Jhye Richardson was added Wednesday to the Australia ODI squad for three clashes in South Africa.

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Richardson dislocated his shoulder ahead of last year's World Cup in England but was recalled for Twenty20 International (T20I) series against South Africa which ends Thursday and will remain with the team for the one-dayers.

"He has slotted back into the T20 squad in South Africa and is pushing for a place in that side," national selector Trevor Hohns said of Richardson. "Keeping him in South Africa with the one-day squad gives us another exceptional fast bowler who is ready to go."

The series starts in Paarl on Saturday, before matches in Bloemfontein next Wednesday and Potchefstroom on Mar. 7

South Africa squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Jon-Jon Smuts, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Verreynne