New Delhi, Dec 1, 2024
Uncapped Kwena Maphaka has been added to South Africa’s Test squad after fast-bowler Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of the second Test against Sri Lanka and the upcoming all-format series against Pakistan due to a groin injury.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) said Coetzee, 24, experienced discomfort while bowling on day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka, which the Proteas won by 233 runs, at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
“Results of the scan revealed a right groin muscle strain. His recovery period is estimated to be between four to six weeks,” added the CSA. In the absence of Coetzee, who picked four wickets in the Durban Test, Maphaka has been added to the squad for the second game, which will get underway at St George’s Park in Gqeberha from December 5-9.
The Test team call-up is another chapter in 18-year-old Maphaka’s rise in cricketing circuit this year. The pacer was named Player of the Tournament at this year’s Men’s U19 World Cup in South Africa and later landed a contract with the Mumbai Indians in 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Maphaka, who plays for Lions in domestic cricket, made his T20I debut for South Africa on their tour of West Indies, where he picked one scalp and got an IPL contract with the Rajasthan Royals ahead of 2025 season via the mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
For the second Test, South Africa are already without the services of fast-bowling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who fractured his right middle finger in Durban. After the Tests against Sri Lanka, South Africa will host Pakistan for three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.
Though they have Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen available, South Africa do have a shortage of fast-bowling options, especially with Nandre Burger out due to lower back stress fracture, Lungi Ngidi out with a groin injury till January and Anrich Nortje preferring to play white-ball formats after recovering from a long-standing back injury.
South Africa squad for second Test: Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne.(Agency)
