Johannesburg, 27 October 2025:
Temba Bavuma will return to lead South Africa’s Test side for the two-match series against India next month after recovering from a calf strain.
The 34-year-old missed the start of South Africa’s World Test Championship campaign against Pakistan, having sustained the injury during the England tour in September. While he will sit out the white-ball leg of the ongoing Pakistan series, Bavuma will feature for South Africa A against India A in Bengaluru before joining the Test squad.
Bavuma’s comeback is the only change in the batting department from the squad that drew 1-1 in Pakistan.
His return comes at the expense of middle-order batter David Bedingham, who did not play either Test. Bedingham, who has scored one century and four fifties in 15 Tests, had gone 12 innings without a fifty before making 82 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo earlier this year.
Head coach Shukri Conrad said Bedingham’s omission was a “horses-for-courses” decision based on expected conditions in India.
“The guys that did duty in Pakistan have shown what they’re capable of,” Conrad said. “It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for David. He’s been one of our top performers, but for these conditions we believe the players we’ve picked are better equipped.”
Zubayr Hamza has earned a recall, with Conrad describing him as a “really good player of spin.” Hamza scored a century for South Africa A against New Zealand A last month.
South Africa have retained three frontline spinners — Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy — after their strong performances in Pakistan. Offspinner Prenelan Subrayen misses out, while the pace attack will comprise Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch and Marco Jansen. Lungi Ngidi remains unavailable.
The series begins in Kolkata on Nov. 14, with the second Test scheduled for Guwahati from Nov. 22.
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Dewald Brevis, Zubayr Hamza, Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.
