South Africa to test new players against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo

South Africa tasted long-awaited success with victory in the World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this month, but there will be several new faces for the first test against Zimbabwe that starts in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Captain Temba Bavuma has not recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in the five-wicket win at Lord’s, while batters Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs, and bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, are all rested.

The latter will be available for the second test, but with seven of the XI who started at Lord’s missing the series opener at the Queen’s Sports Club, it will be a new-look line-up with much to prove.

Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis and 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius are all young, attacking batters, and it is likely at least two of the three will play. The more experienced Lesego Senokwane could also make his international debut.

The expected slow wicket means stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj and off-spinning all-rounder Prenelan Subrayen will likely both play, but firebrand 19-year-old fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, who debuted against Pakistan earlier this year, could also be given a chance. Uncapped seamer Codi Yusuf is also in the squad.

I think theres a lot of guys who want to prove a point, why theyre here, and how well theyve played over the last couple of domestic seasons to get here, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder told reporters.

We look at ourselves as world champions. Thats the standard we set for ourselves. Everybody has that in the back of their mind. We are not trying to become something new.

“The guys that are going to fill a spot or take someone like Ricks (Rickelton) or Marco’s (Jansen) place are going to put them under pressure when they come back.

Zimbabwe will also be missing several of