South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2019: Wiaan Mulder Added to Test Squad

The 20-year old talented bowler Wiaan Mulder has been added to the South African Test squad which will take on Sri Lanka in two-match Test series. In fact, the rookie bowler is the only addition to the Proteas squad which had clean sweep the Pakistan team 3-0 in the recently concluded series.

In fact, Wiaan Mulder had received his maiden call-up to the Test format when South Africa had locked horns against Australia. However, he didn’t get his opportunity in the playing XI. Wiaan Mulder has thus far played eight One Day Internationals for the Rainbow nation after making his debut against Bangladesh in October 2017.

Wiaan Mulder will like to grab his chances.

Meanwhile, the right-handed pacer had to miss out on the action in the series against Zimbabwe due to an ankle injury in September-October 2018. Thus, he was out of the International circuit until he made his return in the fifth ODI against Pakistan in the previous month.

“Wiaan has been part of our strategic thinking in developing a batting all-rounder for the Test squad for some time,” CSA National Selection Panel convener Linda Zondi said on Thursday (February 7). “His injury in the white ball series against Zimbabwe last year came at an unfortunate time and we are gradually working him back into the Proteas set-up.”

On the other hand, Lungi Ngidi is not included in the squad as he is still recovering from the knee injury. Hence, the selectors are not in a rush to get him back to action.

Ngidi is recovering from knee injury.

“We never want to rush players back from injury because that can be counter-productive, but he has now had a couple of good weeks of action in the 4-Day Domestic Series,” Zondi said of Mulder’s fitness while adding that they will take time with Ngidi. “For the same reason we are not going to rush Lungi Ngidi back into international action until he has had the time to gain full match fitness.”

The first Test match will take place at Kingsmead from February 13. The second Test will begin from 21 February at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth. After the completion of the Test series, both teams will take on each other in three T20Is and five ODIs.

Here is South Africa’s squad for the series against Sri Lanka:

Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock (wk), Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn