CAPE TOWN: South Africa have included uncapped seamers Daryn Dupavillon and Ottniel Baartman in an extended 21-man Test squad for their first return to Pakistan for more than 13 years later this month.

South Africa will play Tests in Karachi and Rawalpindi, starting on Jan 26 and also welcome back fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius, as well as slow left-armers Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde.

Dupavillon, who has played in one One-day International, and Baartman effectively replace fellow fast bowlers Glenton Stuurman and Migael Pretorius, who were in South Africa’s squad for the recent Test series against Sri Lanka but who suffered injuries and had to be released.

“Considering that the conditions that will be faced are largely unknown to the South African team, we wanted to strengthen the attack with the skill sets that Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde have to offer, while giving players like Daryn Dupavillon and Ottniel Baartman an opportunity after making strong cases for themselves in recent seasons,” convener of selectors Victor Mpitsang said in a Cricket South Africa (CSA) media release on Friday.

Batsmen Keegan Petersen and Sarel Erwee are the only players who have yet to appear in an international match, although Petersen will be part of a South African squad for the third time.

The side will be led by captain Quinton de Kock as they come off a 2-0 home series win over Sri Lanka that concluded on Tuesday.

According to CSA, the squad will depart for Pakistan on a commercial flight on Jan 15 and will spend a period in quarantine in Karachi before starting a programme of training and intra-squad matches. Some of the players will take part in domestic one-day matches in the week before departure with the domestic teams already in a bio-secure environment in Potchefstroom, where all the matches will be played.

The decision to take an extended squad provides cover in the event of Covid-19 infections or injuries, with the quarantine period requirement meaning replacements cannot be flown in at short notice.

The second Test in Rawalpindi will be played from Feb 4.

International cricket has returned to Pakistan in the past 16 months following a militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.

The country has hosted Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since September 2019, while England recently announced a short two-match 20-over series in October in the build-up to the T20 World Cup in India.

It will be South Africa’s first tour of Pakistan since 2007-08, although former captain Faf du Plessis captained a World XI in 2017 in the first high-profile international cricket series.

Head coach Mark Boucher made three tours of Pakistan as a player, with South Africa winning two and losing one of the Test series.

A separate squad will be announced next week for three Twenty20 Internationals which will follow the Tests.

Test squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma (vice-captain), Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2021