South Africa and Pakistan will be involved in a two-match Test series, with the tour starting on December 26 at Centurion. The second game will be played on January 3, with the results largely deciding the finalists of the 2023-25 World Test Championship.

The son of Test cricketer Tertius, Corbin Bosch has received a maiden call-up to the XI that features nine batting options and just three front-line seamers. The 30-year-old, who made his ODI debut against Pakistan earlier this week, has played 34 first-class games, scoring 1,295 runs with a high score of 69. He averages 40.46, notching up ten fifties as well.

The right-arm medium pacer has also picked up 72 wickets with best figures of 5-69, his only five-for in 58 innings. Bosch recently played against the England Lions for South African Invitational XI and picked up 1-21 in five overs. He was one of two uncapped seamers to be picked in the Test squad but edged ahead of Kwena Maphaka to make the side.

South Africa had several injury issues in the lead-up to the series, with as many as four pacers unavailable for selection. Gerald Coetzee (groin), Nandre Burger (lower back stress fracture), Lizaad Williams (knee) and Lungi Ngidi (hip) are all out until the beginning of the next year.

The Proteas have not picked a spinner in their line-up, with Keshava Maharaj (groin injury) making way for Bosch, who will be joined by pacers Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Dane Paterson.

The batting unit features no surprises, with the same top seven that played the Sri Lanka series continuing here as well.

South Africa’s XI for first Test against Pakistan

Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch

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