Matthew Wade dumped from Australia Test squad for South Africa tour, Tim Paine remains captain

South Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been elevated to the test squad as backup gloveman for captain Tim Paine, and Queensland fast bowler Mark Steketee was also included.

Matthew Wade has been cut from Australia’s Test squad for the scheduled tour to South Africa.

Australia's Matthew Wade walks from the field after he was dismissed without scoring during play on day four of the fourth cricket Test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane. (AP)

While the 33-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman didn’t make the 19-player list for South Africa, though, he was picked as vice-captain of an 18-player squad that is set to play New Zealand in a series of Twenty20 matches.

The tours are expected to be held concurrently in March, although there hasn’t been confirmation of the schedule for test series.

South Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been elevated to the test squad as backup gloveman for captain Tim Paine, and Queensland fast bowler Mark Steketee was also included.

Travis Head, who was dropped from the starting XI for the series-deciding test loss to India in Brisbane earlier this month, was preferred as a middle-order batsman to Wade.

Aaron Finch will lead the T20 squad for the five-game series in a squad that also includes emerging spinner Tanveer Sanga, the return of Jhye Richardson and the inclusion of short-form regulars Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis.

Cricket Australia said in a statement Wednesday that the T20 squad will not change regardless of any changes to the test itinerary.

South Africa has just started a two-test series in Pakistan.

Australia squads for South Africa tour:

Tests: Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins (vice-captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.

T20s: Aaron Finch (captain), Matthew Wade (vice-captain), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D’Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.