Ex-skipper Du Plessis out of South Africa ODI squad
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Former captain Faf du Plessis will not play for South Africa in a three-match one-day international series against Australia but remains part of the country's future plans, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Wednesday.
Du Plessis, who stepped down from the captaincy in all forms of the game earlier this month, is being rested along with recent regular players in Rassie van der Dussen and Dwaine Pretorius, according to a CSA statement.
The first match in the series will be in Paarl on Saturday, following the conclusion of a Twenty20 series in Cape Town on Wednesday. Test left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has been rewarded for good form in a domestic one-day tournament with his first one-day international call-up since 2018.
Coach Mark Boucher said the squad was picked with an eye to the future with the next World Cup still three years away. "We always saw the series against England and Australia as an opportunity to play some fresh talent," said Boucher.
"If we feel that we need to rest players, we will, as we have done in the recent past. Faf (du Plessis) has been fantastic for us in white-ball cricket and remains very much in our ODI plans and we will manage his workload for the near future diligently."
The squad includes batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne, who were both included in the squad for a recent series against England but did not play. Malan has previously been capped at T20 level while Verreynne is uncapped. "I would like to strengthen our depth pool right now and see what players we have out there. I feel that this is the time and opportunity to do so," said Boucher.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (captain, wkt), Temba Bavuma, Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Kyle Verreynne (wkt).
FIXTURES:
February 29, Paarl
March 4, Bloemfontein
March 7, Potchefstroom