South Africa's Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of South Africa's first assignment of their World Test Championship title defence, against Pakistan, with a calf strain. Bavuma sustained the injury on the recent white-ball tour in England and is expected to need six to eight weeks of recovery. Aiden Markram will captain the side in his absence.

The squad also includes a recall for offspinner Simon Harmer , who has not played a Test since March 2023, and joins Senuran Muthumsay and Prenelan Subrayen in the spin department. First-choice spinner Keshav Maharaj is only available for the second Test after suffering a groin strain in England.

In other major news, wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock has reversed his retirement from ODI cricket and returns to both ODI and T20I sq

See Full Page