AUS vs SA : South Africa Playing 11 for Australia, 3rd Test

South Africa takes on Australia in the third and final Test in Sydney starting from January 4. They have already lost the Test series and are now staring at a series defeat. The Proteas have slipped to the fifth position on the WTC 2021-23 points table. Both teams play a three-match ODI series after the end of the Test match.

South Africa are now on a four-match losing streak. They lost two against England and two against Australia. The side endured an innings defeat in the third Test in Melbourne.

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The Proteas have been totally outplayed in the first two Tests. They have been bowled out for paltry totals of 99 in the second innings at Gabba. The Protean side was bowled out for 189 and 204 in Melbourne.

Heading into the final Test match, they will miss the services of Theunis de Bruyn who will miss the Test match due to the birth of his child. Rassie Van der Dussen might be his ideal replacement in the XI.

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The management might also rest one of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje or Lungi Ngidi. In that case, they can pick between Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williamson both of who are new to Test cricket. In this article, we pick South Africa’s ideal XI for the third Test against Australia.

AUS vs SA: South Africa Playing 11 for Australia, 3rd Test

Dean Elgar (C)

The skipper has to score runs for his side. He has scored 31 runs in the first two Test matches. He ended 2022 with 577 runs in 11 Test matches averaging 28.85.

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Sarel Erwee

Erwee scored 18 and 21 in the two innings of the MCG Test. He is still new to Test cricket having played only nine Tests in his career so far all of them in 2022. He scored 419 runs at an average below 25.

Rassie Van der Dussen

Van der Dussen can replace Theunis de Bruyn who will miss the Test match due to the birth of his first child. Dussen is an experienced batter having played 18 Test matches. In 7 Test matches in 2022, he scored 281 runs.

Temba Bavuma

Bavuma will bat at number four. He scored 1 and 65 in the last Test match. The white-ball skipper is the fourth-highest run-getter in the series with 133 runs in four innings.

Khaya Zondo

Zondo will slot in at five. He scored five and one in the two innings of the last test. The batter made his Test debut in 2022 and played has played just four Tests.

Kyle Verreynne (WK)

Verreynne scored 52 and 33 in the two innings of the third Test. He is the first-choice keeper for the Proteas since Quinton de Kock’s retirement. He scored over 500 runs in 11 Tests last year averaging 32.13.

Marco Jansen

Jansen slots in at seven as the all-rounder. He scored 59 and 5 in the two innings of the third Test in MCG. He has taken four wickets in two Tests. He ended 2022 with 36 wickets across 8 matches at an economy of less than 4.

Keshav Maharaj

Maharaj is the specialist spinner in the lineup. He has gone wicketless in the series so far. In 2022, the left-arm orthodox spinner ended with 25 wickets in 10 Test matches.

Kagiso Rabada

Rabada will lead the South African pace attack. He has taken 10 wickets in the series so far. Overall in 2022, he took 47 wickets in 9 Test matches. This was his most successful year in Test cricket in terms of wickets.

Anrich Nortje

Nortje will pair up with Rabada to lead the South African pace attack. He took five wickest in the first two Tests. In five tests in 2022, the pacer took 15 wickets at an economy of less than five and averaging 27.33.

Gerald Coetzee

The rookie pacer will conclude the likely South African XI for the third Test. He is likely to make his debut for Sydney.

Also Read: “2022 Thank You, 2023 I’m Ready” – Fit-Again England Star Jofra Archer Eyes Cricket Comeback Through ODIs vs South Africa

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