A QUIN FLIP

PROTEAS coach Shukri Conrad believes Quinton de Kock is “a breath of fresh air on his own without picking up a bat.”

De Kock was in the international wilderness since last year’s T20 World Cup final against India in Barbados, but recently made a retirement U-turn and was immediately called up for the once-off T20 against Namibia earlier this month.

Conrad was, however, away with the Proteas Test span in Pakistan and only welcomed South African cricket’s prodigal son back into the fold this week ahead of the three-match T20 series, starting in Rawalpindi on Tuesday (5pm start). 

Conrad wysed: “We are really chuffed and thrilled that we’ve got some fresh faces, some fresh energies.

“Not to suggest that the energies were flagging in the previous group, but huge excitement in the group about this T20 series. 

“We’ve only really kept [Dewald] Brevis, Tony [de Zorzi] and Boshy [Corbin Bosch] behind, from the Test side. It’s a long tour. It’s a tough tour. Not only the conditions, but a really tough tour.

“The guys who are playing in this format as well have gone home to freshen up for the Indian challenge. So, yeah, great opportunity, some fresh faces. And obviously on everybody's lips is Quinton.

“He's a breath of fresh air on his own without picking up a bat. So, yeah, thrilled to have Quinton around as well.”

Meanwhile, Temba Bavuma was on Monday named as captain of the Proteas squad for two Test matches in India next month having recovered from injury.

Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen missed out despite playing in the first Pakistan Test in the absence of Keshav Maharaj, who was recovering from injury.

Batter David Bedingham, who toured Pakistan but did not play in the Tests, made way for Bavuma.

Proteas Test squad v India: Temba Bavuma, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne