AUS vs SA 2022: South Africa full squad announced; Dean Elgar to captain, Gerald Coetzee earns maiden call-up

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named a 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia beginning on December 17. Dean Elgar will lead the Proteas as they look to overtake Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings to claim the top spot.

South Africa will switch their attention to the traditional format following their exit from the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2022. Several players from the World Cup squad will feature in the Test unit as well, with a spot in the final of the second edition of the WTC in sight.

Gerald Coetzee, 22, who was associated with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a replacement player, earned his maiden Test call-up. The right-arm pacer had a fruitful domestic campaign, taking 40 wickets at an average of 28.82.

Right-handed batter Theunis de Bruyn, who last represented South Africa during their tour of India in 2019, also earned a recall. The Proteas will be without the services of resilient batter Keegan Petersen, who has been ruled out due to a hamstring tear that he sustained in the CSA T20 Challenge final.

In a huge respite for the Proteas, middle-order batter Rassie van der Dussen has healed from a fractured finger that he inflicted during the tour of England in August 2022. The injury prevented him from playing in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

South Africa's first-choice spinner Keshav Maharaj has also been cleared to compete. The left-arm bowler suffered a low-grade groin muscle injury during the T20 World Cup, causing him to miss the crucial encounter against Pakistan. He was also seen limping during the side's final contest against the Netherlands.

Wicketkeeper Heinrich Klassen, who predominantly features in the white-ball set-up, also finds a place in the squad in place of the injured Ryan Rickelton. Since Quinton de Kock's retirement from the longest format of the game, Kyle Verreynne has assumed the role of the first-choice wicketkeeper.

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SA full squad for Australia vs South Africa 2022 series

Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Erwee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Glenton Stuurman, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper), Khaya Zondo.

South Africa will lock horns with Australia in the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 17 onwards.

This marks the first Test outing between the two sides since the infamous three-match series in 2018. The Proteas won the rubber by a 3-0 margin in the midst of the ball-tampering saga.

South Africa's upcoming Test tour to Australia is their first in six years, with their last trip coming in November 2016.

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