OPINION: Mind-boggling Proteas are resting players for Zim Tests

The Citizen

24-06-2025

But, on the plus side, some of this country's brightest young talents will get a chance to show what they can do.
Tristan Stubbs and Aiden Markram will both miss the tour of Zimbabwe. Picture: Paul Harding/Gallo Images
We so often hear the best players talk about how their first love is Test cricket and that it remains the purest form of the game.
We've also heard so much in recent times about how little Test cricket the Proteas are playing and the players have been outspoken about this as well.
It boggles the mind then that, for whatever reason, five of this country's top players – all of them World Test Championship winners – are being rested for the upcoming two-Test series with Zimbabwe.
So little Test cricket
Temba Bavuma withdrew from the squad late last week following a hamstring injury picked up in that Test at Lord's, but Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs are all missing the series. Why?
In a Cricket South Africa press release, coach Shukri Conrad is quoted as saying, 'We've opted to rest some players to manage their workload ahead of a busy season.'
The only Test matches the Proteas will play over the remainder of the year are the two matches in Zimbabwe in the next two weeks and two Tests in India in November. That's it.
Yes, there are a bunch of T20s and ODIs coming up, including in Australia and England, and the five rested players for the Zimbabwe tour will all possibly feature there, but why not also play the Tests?
Are they really that tired? Do they require that much rest?
An opportunity to score big runs and take wickets
I'm sure Rickelton and Stubbs, for example, would have loved to have a go again after not spending too much time at the crease at Lord's in the World Test Championship final. Also, they're still looking to fully cement themselves in that Proteas batting lineup and a few good knocks against Zimbabwe would have gone a long way in achieving that while also boosting their confidence ahead of the said T20s and ODIs.
Oh well.
The good news is we'll see a few new faces in action in the two Tests in Bulawayo, and that's always exciting.
Batters Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane and Dewald Brevis all deserve a chance, while fast bowler Codi Yusuf and off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen should also get an opportunity to show what they can do.
The first of two Tests starts on Saturday.