Most of South Africa’s Test players will sit out a three-match Twenty20 international series against India, starting at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.
JP Duminy, who has retired from Test cricket, will captain a squad which includes only batsman AB de Villiers of the country's likely first-choice Test players.
Selection convener Linda Zondi admitted that the selection was influenced by the fact that South Africa start a four-match Test series against Australia on March 1, five days after the final Twenty20 international, while captain Faf du Plessis and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock are recovering from injuries.
Zondi said the squad had also been selected with a view to giving exposure to players who might be considered for the next World T20 in 2020. First-choice spin bowler Imran Tahir has been rested to give more game time to fellow spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Aaron Phangiso.
#BreakingNews #CSAnews #SAvIND @Heini22, @CJonks7 and @JDala3 named in @StandardBankZA Proteas T20 Squad to face India ... https://t.co/ltTqPUaUCW pic.twitter.com/IYVAlYonr2
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 13, 2018
The squad includes two uncapped players in batsman Christiaan Jonker and fast bowler Junior Dala, while wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen is new to T20 internationals.
The selectors also named a South Africa A team to play against the Australians in Benoni from February 22 to 24 in the only warm-up match for the tourists ahead of the Test matches.
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