South Africa have recalled Jacques Rudolph back into the fold for their Test series against Australia. Rudolph had last played a Test match in 2006 before he decided to call it quits by joining Yorkshire on a Kolpak deal.
Rudolph makes a comeback, Tahir in line for debut
Jacques Rudolph has been picked in the South African Test squad for the first time in five years when they take on Australia.
Rudolph then came back to South Africa and had had an excellent season in the domestic circuit, before captaining the A team to Zimbabwe. His form has continued in the recent times as well, to go with the rather poor batting from the previous opening bat, Alviro Peterson.
The side will be led by Graeme Smith, who had earlier given up on the captaincy in the limited overs game. He has had some indifferent form going into the second ODI of the series tomorrow and will look for some runs before the Tests begin.
Rudolph will also open the innings with Smith, with Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis forming a potent top four. If AB de Villiers, who was forced out of the ODIs and the T20Is with a broken finger, gets fit again, he will walk into the side as the vice-captain batting at the number five position.
One of JP Duminy or Ashwell Prince will complete the batting line-up in that case, with Mark Boucher as the keeper and four bowlers. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel should lead the attack, with Lonwabo Tsotsobe being the third seamer. Imran Tahir could be in line to make his Test match debut.
South Africa squad:
Graeme Smith (c), AB de Villiers (vc), Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher (wk), JP Duminy, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe
See More:
