De Zorzi, cited by the Test team's new coach, Shukri Conrad, as a possible future captain, will bat at No 3, while Keegan Petersen will return to bat at No 5. Heinrich Klaasen also retains his place in the starting team from the side that drew with Australia in Sydney at the start of the year The side contains six players who featured in that match.
The two teams last played each other in the Caribbean in 2021, a series the Proteas won 2-0. South Africa has won 20 of the 31 Tests between the two teams, losing just three.
TEAMS
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Keegan Petersen, Heinrich Klaasen, Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortjé, Gerald Coetzee.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermain Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel.
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De Zorzi at No 3 as Proteas begin Conrad era opting to bat in Centurion
Image: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
The new era for the Proteas Test team started on Tuesday morning with two debutants, the axing of front-line spinner Keshav Maharaj and new skipper Temba Bavuma, and choosing to bat in the first Test against the West Indies at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
Tony de Zorzi, surprisingly, and fast bowler, Gerald Coetzee, were handed their first caps, while Senuran Muthusamy, who played his last Test against India in 2019, started ahead of Maharaj, ostensibly because he's a better batter.
De Zorzi, cited by the Test team's new coach, Shukri Conrad, as a possible future captain, will bat at No 3, while Keegan Petersen will return to bat at No 5. Heinrich Klaasen also retains his place in the starting team from the side that drew with Australia in Sydney at the start of the year The side contains six players who featured in that match.
The two teams last played each other in the Caribbean in 2021, a series the Proteas won 2-0. South Africa has won 20 of the 31 Tests between the two teams, losing just three.
TEAMS
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Keegan Petersen, Heinrich Klaasen, Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortjé, Gerald Coetzee.
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermain Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel.
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