Steyn misses out as Australia bat

Australia won the toss and chose to bat v South Africa
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Dale Steyn will have to wait a little longer for his comeback © Gallo Images

Dale Steyn‘s much-anticipated comeback will have to wait after he was left out of South Africa’s XI for their opener against Australia. Despite a return to fitness and almost two months out of the game, Steyn was overlooked as South African opted to go with the attack that has worked for them thus far. That meant Kyle Abbott kept his place in a four-pronged pace attack.

South Africa would find out immediately if that was the right decision after Steve Smith chose to bat first on a dry, cracked surface that is as close to subcontinental conditions as the groundsman could muster. Australia left out Shane Watson, who was injured last month, and opted for Usman Khawaja to partner Aaron Finch at the top with David Warner slotting in at No. 4. They named two debutants in wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and legspinner Adam Zampa, who has recovered from a stomach bug.

The hosts sprung one more surprise when they chose Quinton de Kock over Hashim Amla to open the batting with AB de Villiers. There was no space for Amla lower down in a line-up that includes JP Duminy, Rilee Rossouw and David Miller.

South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 AB de Villiers, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 Rilee Rossouw, 6 David Miller, 7 David Wiese, 8 Chris Morris, 9 Kyle Abbott, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran Tahir

Australia:1 Aaron Finch, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 David Warner, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Peter Nevill (wk), 8 John Hastings, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 11 Andrew Tye

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.


Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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