World Test Championship Final 2025: South Africa squad profiles

South Africa’s 15-man squad for their first-ever appearance in an ICC World Test Championship final contains a mixture of youth and experience. Here is a rundown of the Proteas players gunning for glory at Lord’s: Temba Bavuma Temba Bavuma arrives at Lord’s fresh from an excellent home summer, scoring centuries against Sri Lanka and Pakistan during series victories which booked his side’s place at Lord’s. The 35-year-old made his Test debut on Boxing Day of 2014 against the West Indies and is currently listed sixth in the ICC’s men’s Test batting rankings. Tony de Zorzi Tony de Zorzi captained South Africa at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2016 but has had to be patient to make his mark on the senior international stage. His first Test century was in Chittagong in October 2024, a sparkling 177, and his command of the pull shot makes the left-hander an attractive player to watch. The 27-year-old is also a fine short leg fielder. Aiden Markram Another to have led South Africa at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, lifting the trophy in 2014, Aiden Markram is closing in on 3,000 Test runs and has seven centuries to his name in the longest format. The top-order batter captains the Proteas in T20 cricket and guided them to the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup last year, in which they were beaten by India. Wiaan Mulder A seam bowling all-rounder, Wiaan Mulder is no stranger to English conditions having represented Kent and Leicestershire in recent years – scoring a career best 235 not out for the latter in 2022. The 27-year-old was still at school when he made his first-class debut in 2016 and was promoted up the order in South Africa’s most recent Test against Pakistan, batting at number three having never previously come in higher than six. Marco Jansen The giant 2.06m left-armer averages under 22 with the ball after 17 Tests, with the highlight coming in Durban last year when he ripped through Sri Lanka with seven for 13 as the Proteas skittled their opponents for just 42. Marco Jansen is also handy with the bat and blasted a 16-ball half century against India in November 2024. His twin brother, Duan, is also a professional cricketer. Kagiso Rabada An elite pace bowler, Kagiso Rabada is fifth on South Africa’s all-time list of Test wicket takers and arrives at Lord’s three shy of levelling Allan Donald’s tally of 330. He is ranked second in the world in Tests – with only Jasprit Bumrah ahead of him – and he is already on the honours board at the Home of Cricket after taking five for 52 against England in 2022. Keshav Maharaj South Africa’s most successful ever spinner in Test cricket, Keshav Maharaj is two shy of reaching 200 wickets and his average is on the right side of 30. The slow left-armer made his Test debut in Perth in 2016 but will be looking to improve on a modest record against this summer’s final opponents – he has taken 22 scalps at 45 in nine Tests against Australia. Lungi Ngidi The 29-year-old Lungi Ngidi is making a well-timed return from injury having sat out the home summer in South Africa with a groin problem. He announced his arrival on to the Test scene in style with six for 39 against India in 2018 and currently averages a shade over 23 after 19 appearances. Corbin Bosch Took to Test cricket like a duck to water on his debut against Pakistan in last year’s Boxing Day Test, grabbing a wicket with his first ball – and going on to take four for 63 – before striking an unbeaten 81 from number nine. The son of former Proteas Test player Tertius, Corbin Bosch’s brother Eathan is also a full international having made his ODI debut in February. Kyle Verreynne The wicketkeeper-batter announced himself in Test cricket in February 2022 with a sparkling unbeaten 136 which helped the Proteas level a series in New Zealand. Kyle Verreynne has become acclimatised to English conditions in the past two summers during spells with Nottinghamshire and began his latest stint with a ton against Essex at Trent Bridge in April. David Bedingham Another player to have excelled in English domestic cricket, David Bedingham scored nearly 200 runs more than anyone else in Division One of the County Championship last season and his 279 against Lancashire was the highest score in Durham’s first-class history. The 31-year-old right-hander, who can also keep wicket, scored his first – and so far, only – Test century against New Zealand in February 2024. Tristan Stubbs The only way was up for Tristan Stubbs after his Test bow, which saw him become just the second player in history to be dismissed twice on the first day of his debut. The aggressive, inventive batter now has two Test tons to his name and an average of 33.33, while he has excelled in South Africa’s domestic red ball competition and remains a key part of his nation’s limited overs sides. Ryan Rickelton The stylish left-hander made a dream start to 2025, scoring 259 against Pakistan at Newlands during his first innings as a Test opener before winning the SA20 with MI Cape Town. An all-round sportsman growing up, Ryan Rickelton has been in and out of the Test side since his debut in 2022 but will hope that New Year’s knock – the joint-seventh highest Test score by a South African – will cement his place for Lord’s. Senuran Muthusamy A very useful player with bat and ball, left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy claimed a memorable scalp for his first Test wicket when he held on to a return catch to dismiss Virat Kohli in October 2019. He has played just three more Tests since but is a reliable operator for Dolphins, with eight first-class centuries and more than 250 wickets to his name. Dane Paterson No-one has had a closer view of Lord’s in the build-up to the ICC World Test Championship final than Dane Paterson, who has started the season with Middlesex in England’s County Championship. Appearances have been sporadic over his eight-year international career, but the 36-year-old impressed in last year’s Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, taking five for 61 – his best figures in the format.