Titans wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen has been rewarded for his white-ball form by being included in the Proteas’ Test squad to face Australia.
The other new addition to the Test squad is 20-year-old Lions all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who made his ODI debut towards the end of last year.
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Klaasen and Mulder, the only two changes from the squad that faced India, come into the squad in the place of Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo.
‘Klaasen has been tremendously impressive in the white-ball matches he has played for the Proteas, and we firmly believe he can become just as good a player in the five-day format,’ said CSA convener of selectors Linda Zondi.
‘He has averaged nearly 50 with the bat in Sunfoil four-day cricket this season and hit two centuries,’ Zondi continued.
‘We are also keen to have a back-up wicketkeeper to De Kock in the squad.
‘The selection of Mulder continues our strategy to expand our pool of all-rounders against top quality opposition.
‘He is a batting all-rounder and his selection will depend on how we decide to balance our starting XI. He has been the top all-rounder in the Sunfoil Series with a batting average of 60, and 15 wickets at an average of 28,’ added Zondi.
Proteas squad: Faf du Plessis (Titans, captain), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (Cape Cobras), Quinton de Kock (Titans), Theunis de Bruyn (Knights), AB de Villiers (Titans), Dean Elgar (Titans), Heinrich Klaasen (Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans), Morne Morkel (Titans), Wiaan Mulder (Highveld Lions), Lungisani Ngidi (Titans), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions)
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
