E-Paper
Sign in
Faf Du Plessis doubtful, AB De Villiers likely to return for Australia Test series
Faf Du Plessis is still out with injury while AB De Villers may return for South Africa’s upcoming four-Test series against Australia starting March 1.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, pace spearhead Dale Steyn and Temba Bavuma remain in doubt for the first Test against Australia starting March 1, whereas senior batsman AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock are expected to be fit.
Steyn is unlikely to be considered for selection till the third Test of the four-match series, but a call will be taken on full-time captain du Plessis and Bavuma will be taken before the opening Test.
READ | Trevor Bayliss ready to make way for T20I specialist coach for England
Both du Plessis and Bavuma are nursing fractured fingers, with the former missing most of the limited-overs series against India, which the visitors won 5-1.
South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said, “We’ve obviously had a lot of senior guys out injured and it’s had an effect. But we are sure AB and Quinton will be ready for the first Test and we are hopeful Faf will be.”
“When he (du Plessis) was diagnosed [on February 2] we knew he would require four to six weeks recovery time, which takes us, at the earliest, to the first week in March. So we have to take it on a week-by-week basis and see how he is progressing. The same with Temba, though he might be out for a week more than Faf,” he added.
READ | India continue to field same faces as schedule takes its toll on England, Australia
Steyn’s fitness woes prolonged for South Africa when he failed to complete the first Test — his comeback game — against India, bowing out of the competition due to a heel injury.
“He damaged a ligament in his foot (in the first Test vs India at Cape Town). He is making a great recovery. He is doing his running training, increasing his bowling intensity. In all likelihood, he will feature in the Test series against Australia. But I’m sure the medical team will want him to play some sort of cricket before a Test. We are going to target one of the four-day matches for the Titans,” said Moosajee.
Before his injury, the right-arm fast bowler had missed international cricket for more than one year due to a shoulder injury he picked up on South Africa’s tour of Australia 2016.