South Africa young gun Quinton de Kock is in line to make his Test debut against Australia, with opener Alviro Petersen laid low by a viral infection.
De Kock landed in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday night and is set to make a shock debut on Thursday if Petersen is not fit.
The 21-year-old keeps wickets for his country in Twenty20 and one-day cricket and could take the gloves from AB de Villiers in the Test.
The Proteas’ batting depth will be put to the test by Australia at St George’s Park, as the visitors hunt for their first Test series win on foreign soil since April 2012.
Two days after being officially discarded by Cricket South Africa, Dean Elgar could be the man enlisted to strengthen the hosts’ batting order in the second Test.
Elgar was the highest-profile player to be cut from CSA’s central contract list on Tuesday, but is likely to replace Ryan McLaren should selectors opt for a batsman instead of allrounder Wayne Parnell.
Proteas skipper Graeme Smith admitted the timing of CSA’s announcement wasn’t ideal.
“It’s tough. My role is to keep them focused on what’s important,” Smith said the day before the second Test starts.
“Tomorrow, if they get the opportunity to play, hopefully it’s a chance to put that right and show people that they are worthy.
“It’s another curve ball that’s tough to deal with, but we just have to find a way.” It’s not as if Elgar needed any blows to his confidence.
The left-hander made a pair on Test debut, against Australia in 2012 when in-form Mitchell Johnson twice dismissed him at the WACA.
He was 12th man at Centurion and dropped a catch provided by David Warner when the eventual centurion was on 26.
But Morne Morkel likened Elgar to a bull terrier, and Michael Clarke expected the 26-year-old to fight if called upon.
“I’ve seen enough of Dean. He’s a good player and that’s why I think they’ll go with him,” Clarke said.
“He’s performed very well in first-class cricket in South Africa.
“He hasn’t had that much of an opportunity in Test cricket.
“We’ve certainly had a look at footage of him playing, we know his strengths and weaknesses.”
The second Test starts at 7.30pm AEDT on Thursday.
