South Africa prepares for a spin-heavy Test series in Pakistan, with stand-in captain Aiden Markram confident despite missing key players like Temba Bavuma. The squad includes multiple spinners, and options like Dewald Brevis are considered to fill crucial batting roles.
South Africa’s cricket team is preparing to face a spin-dominated challenge as they embark on their World Test Championship (WTC) title defence in Pakistan, starting this Sunday in Lahore. Stand-in captain Aiden Markram expressed confidence in his team’s readiness despite a lack of recent red-ball cricket together.
Although South Africa hasn’t played as a full Test squad since the last WTC final in June, several players have gained experience through a two-Test series in Zimbabwe and participation in the county championship. Their main preparation was a recent training camp in Pretoria, where they worked to simulate the spin-friendly pitches expected in Pakistan.
Markram acknowledged Pakistan’s home advantage. He referenced last year’s series between Pakistan and England, where pitches in Multan and Rawalpindi turned sharply, making batting difficult for both sides. This time, South Africa will play in Lahore and Rawalpindi, venues historically favouring spin bowlers.
“If it’s your home game, you can pretty much prepare whatever wicket you’d like to prepare. That’s how I see it. Ultimately, if it’s going to be extreme like it was in the English series, then it’s going to be difficult for both teams from a batting point of view. For us as a squad, we’ve just got to be happy with what we have, whatever the conditions look like and to back whoever it is on the day to get the job done. So I’m not too fussed by it,” Markram said ahead of the team’s departure on Monday.
At the High Performance Centre in South Africa, the team prepared on three spinning pitches, two of which offered exaggerated turn. Markram praised the effort but admitted replicating Pakistan’s conditions at home was challenging.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s squad reflects their expectation of spin-heavy conditions, with left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy and offspinners Simon Harmer and Prenelan Subrayen all included. Markram highlighted the different styles each spinner brings, giving South Africa a strategic advantage.
Absentees and their replacements
However, South Africa’s premier spinner Keshav Maharaj will join only for the second Test. The team also faces the absence of regular Test captain Temba Bavuma due to a calf injury. Markram will lead the side but the challenge lies in filling Bavuma’s crucial No.4 batting position.
Among the potential replacements is the aggressive Dewald Brevis, who impressed in Zimbabwe and could add momentum on spin-friendly tracks. Other contenders include Zubayr Hamza and Tony de Zorzi, both of whom have shown strong performances in subcontinental conditions.