Temba Bavuma, the South African Test captain, has been ruled out of the first Test against Bangladesh due to a muscle strain in his left triceps. The injury was confirmed after scans revealed the extent of the damage. Aiden Markram will lead the Proteas in Bavuma’s absence for the first Test, which begins in Dhaka on October 21.
Bavuma’s injury is a significant blow to South Africa’s hopes of a successful tour of Bangladesh. The 32-year-old has been in good form in recent months, scoring a century in the second Test against England at Lord’s in August.
With Bavuma out, Markram will take over the captaincy for the first time in a Test match. The 28-year-old has captained South Africa in limited-overs cricket, but this will be his first experience leading the team in the longest format.
Markram will be supported by a strong leadership group, including vice-captain Keshav Maharaj and senior players Kagiso Rabada and Dean Elgar.
In addition to Bavuma’s injury, South Africa have also been dealt another blow with the news that Nandre Burger has been ruled out of the series with a lumbar stress reaction. Burger was expected to play a key role in the bowling attack, but his absence will force the Proteas to reshuffle their plans.
Dewald Brevis and Lungi Ngidi have been added to the squad as replacements for Bavuma and Burger. Brevis is a highly-rated young batsman who has yet to make his Test debut, while Ngidi is an experienced fast bowler who has played 17 Tests for South Africa.
South Africa will be hoping to bounce back from their disappointing performance in the ODI series against Ireland, where they lost 2-1. They will be confident of their chances against Bangladesh, who they have beaten in their last two Test series.
