Bavuma rejoins Proteas ahead of Wanderers Test

Cape Town - Temba Bavuma has rejoined the Proteas squad ahead of the fourth Test against England at the Wanderers.

The Proteas are still playing in the third Test at St George's Park, where they are expected to lose on day five on Monday, but they will then make their way to Johannesburg on Tuesday. 

Bavuma, Beuran Hendricks, Andile Phehlukwayo and Keegan Petersen have all been told to join the squad in Johannesburg on Tuesday, meaning they will miss this week's 4-Day Franchise Series action. 

Bavuma was controversially dropped from the Test side after being injured for the Boxing Day Test at the start of the series and told to go back to franchise cricket and bat his way back into the side. 

Last week, he carded his highest-ever first-class score with a superb knock of 180 for the Lions against the Dolphins in Pietermaritzburg. 

He is expected to replace the struggling Zubayr Hamza in the matchday XI, while the highly-rated Petersen is another option. 

Hendricks and Phehlukwayo, meanwhile, will come into the conversation when discussing the replacement for premier strike bowler Kagiso Rabada, who has been suspended for the Wanderers. 

The fourth Test gets underway on Friday. 

Proteas Test squad:

Faf du Plessis (Titans, captain), Quinton de Kock (Titans), Dean Elgar (Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Rassie van der Dussen (Lions), Pieter Malan (Cape Cobras), Zubayr Hamza (Cape Cobras), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Dane Paterson (Cape Cobras), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Dwaine Pretorius (Lions), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Temba Bavuma (Lions), Andile Phehlukwayo (Dolphins), Beuran Hendricks (Lions), Keegan Petersen (Knights).

- Compiled by Lloyd Burnard

The players return to bolster the selectors’ options ahead of the final encounter. #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/7zX7fWbbEy

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 20, 2020