With one yster AB de Villiers having retired, the Proteas will welcome back another favourite son, Dale Steyn, for next month’s tour to Sri Lanka.
Steyn, who returned to Test match cricket at the start of the year only to go down with injury again, last completed a five-day match back in 2016.
But while they have their star fast bowler back in the squad, coach Ottis Gibson opted to take three spin bowlers on their trip.
Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj will be joined by newcomer Shaun von Berg.
Of their selections, convener of the panel, Linda Zondi, says: “It is very welcome news to have Dale back in our pack of world-class seamers.
“Kagiso Rabada has also made a complete recovery from the injury concerns he had at the end of the Australia Test Series. A key factor in our selection process was to cover all our bases and all possible conditions that we may encounter in Sri Lanka. The two additional spinners to back up Keshav Maharaj have both had excellent records in recent times in our domestic cricket. Von Berg also gives us additional batting strength in the lower order.
“Heinrich Klaasen is the other uncapped player although he has been part of our squad for some time. He provides wicketkeeping cover for Quinton de Kock and is also a contender for a specialist batting position.”
Proteas:
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungisani Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Shaun von Berg