South Africa's Stiaan van Zyl set to make Test debut against Windies
Johannesburg, Dec 3 - Batsman Stiaan van Zyl will make his Test debut for South Africa against the West Indies when the first a three-match Test series begins at Centurion on December 17.
Van Zyl has been named as a replacement for the injured JP Duminy, who is expected to be passed fit at some point in the series and likely to be recalled for the second Test, starting Boxing Day, reports CMC.
The squad includes two uncapped players in Temba Bavuma, a top-order batsman, and Kagiso Rabada, the young seamer who was part of South Africa's World Cup winning Under-19 outfit earlier this year, and the recalled Robin Peterson.
Peterson, who has played one Test against the West Indies, is the only specialist spinner in the squad which is without Dane Piedt, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, and Imran Tahir, who has been dropped. Off-spinner Simon Harmer, last season's second-highest wicket-taker in the first-class competition, was not included.
"We have been very pleased with the way the Test squad has performed in its last three outings. Part of this has been the result of consistency in the selection process and also establishing a pecking order," said convener of selectors Andrew Hudson.
The final Test is due to start on January 2 at Cape Town, followed by three Twenty20 Internationals and five One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
Squad: Hashim Amla (captain), AB de Villiers (vice-captain), Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Stiaan van Zyl, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Temba Bavuma, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada