South Africa to begin World Test C’ship title defence with target on their back

South Africa captain Aiden Markram says his side can expect to have a target on their back when they begin a new cycle of the World Test Championship as defending champions.

South Africa play a two-Test series in Pakistan, starting on Sunday, and two games in India in November as they bid to retain the trophy they won in June by beat Australia by five wickets at Lord’s.

The World Test Championship is decided at the end of a two-year cycle, with the top two teams competing in a one-off five-day match.

“I suppose you create a bit of a target on your back if you’ve won (the WTC), and if that’s the case, it’s fair. We want to chase a place in the final again and lift that trophy once again but realise each team will be coming for us,” said Markram, who stands in as skipper for Temba Bavuma who has been ruled out of the tour with a calf strain.

“We, as a team, have to keep getting better and improving and playing well in all different types of conditions. It starts for us in Pakistan, and it’s a challenge the boys will be up for,” he told a press conference on Monday.

South Africa have been practising on specially prepared spinning wickets at Pretoria’s High Performance Centre.

“There were a couple of nets prepared where the spin is really exaggerated, and you’d rather err on that side, and maybe then it’s a bit easier when we get to Pakistan,” Markram said.

“We’re expecting to face a lot of spin over there, and it’s also, naturally, a lot lower there from a seam point of view. There’s a lot of skiddy, so it’s hard to try and emulate that here in South Africa, but we’ve been looking to put a lot of emphasis on finding a way to train for that.”

The first Test against Pakistan is in Lahore and the second begins on October 20 in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, South Africa pacer Kwena Maphaka, who was selected for the second-string squad to face Namibia in a T20I on October 11 and in the white-ball squads for the upcoming Pakistan tour, is currently being evaluated for an injury picked up during a domestic match.

The 19-year-old is being monitored for a hamstring concern after picking up discomfort during a domestic four-day match for the Lions against Western Province at Newlands last week, ESPNcricinfo reported.

He bowled 5.5 overs in the first innings before leaving the field, but a scan showed no major damage. Maphaka returned in the second innings to take the new ball and impressed with figures of 3 for 26 in 10 overs, helping the Lions seal victory by an innings and 134 runs.

As a precaution, Maphaka will now undergo an MRI scan to confirm his fitness ahead of a packed schedule. He is expected to be involved in South Africa’s international calendar over the next two-and-a-half months, including tours of Pakistan and India. However, there is ongoing discussion about giving him more exposure in domestic cricket, especially the four-day format. So far, he has played just six first-class matches, including two Tests, along with three ODIs and 13 T20Is. He has also been signed by Durban’s Super Giants for the SA20 Season 4.

South Africa’s T20I against Namibia in Windhoek will inaugurate a new stadium on Saturday. The match precedes South Africa’s World Test Championship opener in Pakistan, ruling out several regulars, including captain Markram. Donovan Ferreira will captain the side, with Quinton de Kock making his international return.

De Kock reversed his ODI retirement and made himself available for international cricket last month.

De Kock, 32, retired from 50-over internationals after the 2023 World Cup in India and has not played for the Proteas in any format since the final of the T20 World Cup in June 2024.

Though he did not officially retire from T20s, De Kock, who called time on his Test career in 2021, was not given a central contract last year.

Agencies