AB, star quicks return to SA Test squad

South Africa are set to bolster their Test team with the returns of star trio AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander for their one-off Test against Zimbabwe, beginning on Boxing Day.

The Test match is an historic one in that not only will it be a day-night pink-ball affair, but it will also be a four-day game, as opposed to the regulation five.

De Villiers has not played a Test since captaining South Africa against England in January 2016. He missed three series because of an elbow injury and then took a break from the five-day format, ceding the captaincy to Faf du Plessis.

Steyn suffered a broken shoulder in a Test in Australia in November 2016 and his only competitive cricket since then has been in five Twenty20 matches for the Titans franchise in the past month.

"It is a very exciting moment not just for South Africa but for world cricket to have Dale and AB, two icons of the game, back in the multi-day format," said Cricket South Africa National Selection Panel Convener Linda Zondi.

"After Zimbabwe we have two very tough home Test Series coming up against India, the No. 1 ranked side in the world, and Australia, who have just regained the Ashes in their current series against England.

"AB and Dale bring loads of experience to the side apart from being two of the South African all-time greats.

"It is also good to have Vernon back and it is very encouraging that our four premium fast bowlers – Steyn, Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel – are all back in the selection mix."

Despite being neighbours, South Africa and Zimbabwe have only played eight Test matches against each other since they first met in 1995-96, while it is Zimbabwe's first Test tour of South Africa since 2004-05. South Africa have won seven matches, with one drawn.

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer, batsmen Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor and fast bowler Chris Mpofu were all on the 2004-05 tour, when South Africa won both Test matches, while de Villiers is the only South African still active who played in the series.

Zimbabwe will get a taste of floodlit cricket with a pink ball when they play a day-night match against a South African Invitation XI over three days at Boland Park, starting on Wednesday.

It will be the only warm-up match for the Zimbabweans ahead of the first floodlit Test to be played in South Africa – and the first scheduled four-day Test anywhere since Pakistan toured New Zealand in 1972-73.

De Villiers has been withdrawn from that SA Invitational XI as he continues to recover from a lower back strain, however he has been declared in no doubt for the Test.

There are two uncapped players in Zimbabwe's 15-man squad – batsman Ryan Burl and fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani.

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.

Zimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (c), Hamilton Masakadza, Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Regis Chakabva, Sikandar Raza Butt, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chisoro, Peter Moor, Solomon Mire, Kyle Jarvis, Christopher Mpofu.