SA vs Pak Test series – Babar Azam and Naseem Shah back – Shaheen Afridi left out

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for the two-Test series in South Africa in December and January. Afridi, who was released from Pakistan’s Test squad after their defeat in the first Test against England in October, is still part of the white-ball squads for the tour. Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, who were released alongside Afridi after that first Test, return to the Test squad.

Afridi’s absence specifically from Tests, however, appears to signal a point in his career where the red ball format has become less of a priority than before, a state which could even become permanent for him. When he was dropped in October, it was thought that the faster surfaces of South Africa, where he had played his second and third Test matches five years earlier, would suit him better as he attempts to regain form in this format.

Since returning from a knee injury sustained during a Test in Sri Lanka in July 2022, Afridi has played only a handful of Tests and has been ineffective in doing so; in six matches he has 17 wickets at an average of 45.47. His omission from these Tests makes it extremely unlikely that he will regain his place for Pakistan’s home Test series against the West Indies in January, after which Pakistan will not have a Test match until October 2025.

There is also a return for seamer Mohammad Abbas, who last played Test cricket for Pakistan in 2021. Abbas, whose metronomic precision and ability to seam the ball initially saw him come into the he Pakistan team during their home Tests in the UAE, is the only fast bowler in the team who was also in the squad during Pakistan’s last Test tour to South Africa in 2018-19.

Sajid Khan, meanwhile, was left out of the traveling group. Alongside Noman Ali, Sajid was instrumental in turning around the series against England when Pakistan rearranged their pitches to accommodate the spinners, taking 19 wickets in the two Tests. But the surfaces in South Africa will be very different from those, and Pakistan travel with just one bowler and have opted for Noman’s left-arm orthodox spin instead.

This means that Abrar Ahmed, considered at the start of this season to be Pakistan’s premier Test player, has also been omitted.

Khurram Shahzad returns to the Test side for the first time since a recurring rib injury sidelined him following Pakistan’s home Tests against Bangladesh in August. Initially it was thought he would only be out for a few days, but that would turn into a much longer absence as he missed the entirety of the England Test series. Since his return in late October, however, he has been in fine form, taking 13 wickets in two Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches, and another 15 in three innings against the Sri Lanka A team.

This leaves the Pakistan team somewhat lacking high pace, a quality more valuable in South Africa than perhaps elsewhere. Naseem is Pakistan’s only genuine fast bowler for the series, with Aamer Jamal, Shahzad, Abbas and Mir Hamza the others in the team. This is likely to be in stark contrast to the South African Test team, who currently boast a battery of fast bowlers capable of hitting 140s and beyond.

There is much less flow in Pakistan’s white-ball teams, with Pakistan choosing to largely stick to the team that played the ODI and T20I series in Australia. Sufiyan Muqeem’s good debut in Zimbabwe has rewarded him, as he retains his place in both white-ball squads against South Africa, while Omair Yousuf makes the T20I squad.

Pakistan plays three T20Is and three ODIs in South Africa between December 10 and 22, as well as two Test matches in Centurion and Cape Town from December 26 and January 7. South Africa is, statistically, Pakistan’s least fortunate hunting ground when it comes to Test cricket, where they have only won two Test matches, and never a Test series.

Pakistani teams for South Africa tour

Trials: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (week), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (week), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
ODI: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, week), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir , Usman Khan (week)
T20I: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, week), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (week)

Pakistani teams for South Africa tour

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