Proteas captain Temba Bavuma. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images)

• Temba Bavuma will not play white-ball cricket when India tour South African shores this summer.
• Aiden Markram will captain the Proteas in the ODI and T20 series.
• Kagiso Rabada has also been rested for the white-ball leg of the tour.
• For more sports news, go to the News24 Sport front page.

Cricket South Africa on Monday named the Proteas’ squads for the all-format inbound tour against India from 10 December – 7 January. 

The tour, also known as the Freedom Series, will comprise three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.

The major talking point from the squad selection is that ODI skipper Temba Bavuma will not play in the 50-over games. As was the case in recent times, Bavuma will also not form part of the T20 series. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has also been left out for the white-ball leg of the tour.

CSA said in a statement that Bavuma and Rabada will miss the white-ball legs of the tour “as emphasis is placed on the Test series”.

Aiden Markram will captain the ODI side in Bavuma’s absence, while continuing his role as T20 skipper.

Meanwhile, Anrich Nortje (lower back stress fracture) and Wayne Parnell (left shoulder) were not considered for selection as they are still undergoing rehabilitation for their respective injuries. 

“We have a busy summer
ahead starting with the T20Is and then ODIs against India and we have therefore
taken the decision to omit several of our senior players,” white-ball coach Rob Walter said.

“This decision was
taken together with (Test) coach Shukri (Conrad) as we place emphasis on the red-ball leg of
the tour meaning they will instead be preparing for the Test series by playing
domestic cricket. In saying that, the move has presented opportunities for
others that have been performing well on domestic level to be drafted in.”

Elsewhere, Western Province trio Mihlali Mpongwana, David Bedingham and Nandre Burger have earned their maiden call-ups to the national set-up.  

Fast bowler Burger is rewarded for his outstanding all-round form this season by being named in all three squads, while batter Bedingham is picked in the Test squad. All-rounder Mpongwana, meanwhile, has been named in the ODI squad following a successful CSA Division 1 One-Day Cup campaign where he recorded his maiden List A ton and took 3/32 in the final against North West Dragons in October. 

Star Warriors batsman Tristan Stubbs has been included in the Test squad for the first time. The 23-year-old, who is already capped in both white-ball formats, impressed with his 117 for South Africa A against Sri Lanka earlier this year and most recently struck 130 against DP World Lions in the last round of CSA 4-Day Domestic Series matches. 

WP wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne has been recalled to the ODI and Test squads. The 26-year-old last featured for the Proteas in the Test series against Australia in January and has since led his province to the One-Day Cup title and enjoyed success in this season’s four-day competition with 275 runs in three matches at an average of 68.75 and a top score of 150. 

Other notable selections include Dolphins seamer Ottniel Baartman in the white-ball squads and Lions all-rounder Wiaan Mulder in the ODI and Test squads. 

Conrad added: “It is
the start of a new ICC World Test Championship cycle and that itself is a huge
incentive for everyone. The playing field is level and we want to try and
ensure we make a strong start to this sequence here at home against one of the
best teams in the world. 

“We have a near
full-strength squad to pick from and that in itself is a real boost for us. We
have also added some new and exciting faces such as David Bedingham, Nandre
Burger and Tristan Stubbs, who make the Test squad for the first time. There
are others that are also back in the fold after going back to their unions and
returning with impressive performances. 

“Overall we believe
this group has all the attributes to deliver on our objective, which is to
maintain our proud record against India in South Africa.”