Dale Steyn is all set to make his return to Test cricket after the pacer was named in the South Africa squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka.
The 34-year-old has only recently returned to competitive cricket with Hampshire in the Royal London One-Day Cup after suffering a freakish injury during the first Test against India in January this year.
That Test was Steyn’s comeback to international cricket after more than a year out due to a shoulder injury suffered in the series against Australia in 2016.
“It is very welcome news to have Dale back in our pack of world-class seamers, particularly in view of the retirement of Morne Morkel,” Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) National Selection Panel convener Linda Zondi said on Monday after the announcement of the 15-man squad.
There was also some good news on the fitness front for Kagiso Rabada, with the young pacer now having completely recovered from a lower-back injury which ruled him out of the IPL this year.
Rabada has made a full recovery from his injury.
“Kagiso Rabada has also made a complete recovery from the injury concerns he had at the end of the Australia Test Series,” Zondi said.
Wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi has been given a Test recall while uncapped leg-spinner Shaun von Berg has been included in the squad too.
“A key factor in our selection process was to cover all our bases and all possible conditions that we may encounter in Sri Lanka. The two additional spinners to back up Keshav Maharaj have both had excellent records in recent times in our domestic cricket. Von Berg also gives us additional batting strength in the lower order,” Zondi stated.
“Heinrich Klaasen is the other uncapped player although he has been part of our squad for some time. He provides wicketkeeping cover for Quinton de Kock and is also a contender for a specialist batting position,” he added.
South Africa will play two Tests in their tour of Sri Lanka with the first of them getting underway at Galle on July 12.
SOUTH AFRICA 15-MAN SQUAD
Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungisani Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Shaun von Berg.
