Dean Elgar to lead 21-man South Africa side in three-Test series against Virat Kohli’s India

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced a 21-strong, Proteas Test squad that will take on Virat Kohli's India in three Test matches from December 26, 2021 to January 15, 2022. The series will form part of the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship and will be hosted in three venues at Centurion, Wanderers and Newlands respectively.

The SA National Selection Panel has gone with the same core group that successfully toured the West Indies in June of this year and have included three others. The series will see Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje return to action as well as the reintroduction of seamer, Duanne Olivier, who has returned to the South African domestic set-up following a prolonged stint in the United Kingdom.

Olivier’s last Test appearance for South Africa was in Gqeberha against Sri Lanka in February of 2019. The 29-year-old has made a loud return to the CSA Four-Day Series, ending this year as the leading wicket taker, eight scalps clear of number two, Simon Harmer. Olivier has claim to 28 wickets in eight innings at an average of 11.14 and best innings bowling figures of 5/53.

#Proteas SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT

2 1 players
Maiden Test call ups for Sisanda Magala and Ryan Rickelton
Duanne Olivier returns

Read more here https://t.co/ZxBpXXvQy1#SAvIND #BetwayTestSeries #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/6rIDzt1PuO — Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 7, 2021

Glenton Stuurman and Prenelan Subrayen have also received nods back into the team and Sisanda Magala and Ryan Rickelton will be pleased to receive their maiden Test team call-ups.

“We as the Selectors are excited for the return of Test cricket. This format is very important to CSA and keeping it relevant and alive is one of the organisation’s priorities. We are really looking forward to the return of Dean Elgar and his men, it’s been a long few months since the last time we saw them dominate in the West Indies. We are confident in the team that we have selected and believe fully in backing the talent that we have unearthed and cultivated over the last couple of seasons and giving players the backing that they deserve when they have continuously done well over a significant period of time,” CSA Convenor of Selectors Victor Mpitsang said.

“This Test series is also important in terms of getting some points in the Test Championship table and we are confident that this group will pick up from where they left off and give us a good show on home soil. On behalf of the Selectors, I would like to wish Dean (Elgar), Mark Boucher and the team all of the best for the next few weeks of what I’m certain will be really entertaining cricket,” Mpitsang added.

South Africa’s Test squad vs India: Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma (vice-captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Kagiso Rabada, Sarel Erwee, Beuran Hendricks, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Glenton Stuurman, Prenelan Subrayen, Sisanda Magala, Ryan Rickelton and Duanne Olivier.