South Africa announced their 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy on Monday (January 13) as Temba Bavuma is set to lead them yet again in an ICC event. The squad includes 10 players from the team that played in the World Cup in India in 2023 but doesn't have veteran Quinton de Kock.
The left-handed opening batter retired from the ODI format after the World Cup and South Africa will be without him in an ICC event for the first time since 2014. Over the years, De Kock has been a key member of the Proteas team having scored 1044 runs in 27 ODI World Cup matches at an average of 41.76 with four centuries and as many fifties. He also featured in the previous Champions Trophy edition in 2017 mustering 109 runs at an average of 36.33 with one half-century to his name.
His performance at the top of the order was always a given but this time around, South Africa will have to make do without him. They are yet to settle on his replacement as well and white-ball head coach Rob Walter admitted that there could be changes at the top even during the Champions Trophy.
"Temba and Tony have been at the top of the order and both done a really good job. There's a potential for a few changes at the top of the order to give us a different balance of our side, which we may look into as we get closer to the tournament. A guy like Aidan Markram can be considered there in those two top spots. And obviously Rassie [van der Dussen] has been a stalwart at No.3. So we're hesitant to change his position given the way he's contributed there," Walter said.
It remains to be seen if Tony de Zorzi opens the innings with skipper Bavuma in their opening game against Afghanistan or will the Proteas ask Aiden Markram to do so.
