The Proteas start their West Indian tour with the Test series. Temba Bavuma and his men have a big task at hand if they are to make it to the World Test Championship (WTC) final next year.
The hosts, on the other hand, will be looking for an important home series win with their young squad.
Ahead of the first Test, here’s our match preview.
Also read: Cricket South Africa Sponsors 2024 | Cricket West Indies Sponsors 2024
Both the West Indies and South Africa come into this series on the back of whitewashes in the previous respective Test series. The Proteas were humbled by New Zealand away from home, while the Windies were cleaned up by Ben Stokes and Co recently.
South Africa fielded a weaker side in New Zealand earlier this year and their big guns are back for what is a crucial series for their WTC hopes; they currently lie seventh with one win from their four games.
Late last year, when India toured South Africa, the hosts had put up a spirited fight with their main team and will be looking to do the same, this time away from home.
With Quinton de Kock and Dean Elgar no longer part of the Test setup, Temba Bavuma will expect the likes of Aiden Markram and Tony de Zorzi to step up alongside him. South Africa also have a strong bowling attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Nandre Burger.
On the other hand, we have the hosts, who were comprehensively beaten by England recently, though there were some silver linings. Kavem Hodge is a massive prospect for the Windies, as is Jayden Seales. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will be expecting a big series from the likes of Joshua Da Silva, the veteran Jason Holder, and the young Hodge and Mikyle Louis.
Two young teams with players looking to cement themselves in their national squads means we are in for a closely-contested series. While South Africa have held the edge over the West Indies for the majority of the last two decades, it’s the hosts now with the home advantage on a pitch which is sure to assist the spinners more than the pace bowlers.
Fantasy XI: Kraigg Brathwaite, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Tristan Stubbs, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Kavem Hodge, Shamar Joseph, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Jayden Seales
Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Winner Prediction: West Indies
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