De Villiers, Morkel ruled out of New Zealand Tests

AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel have been ruled out of South Africa’s upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand with injury. Faf du Plessis will stand in as captain. Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander’s return to fitness and Wayne Parnell’s first Test call-up since the Australia series in 2014 will ensure South Africa’s pace pack has several options including Kagiso Rabada, Chris Morris and Kyle Abbott.

For du Plessis, the elevation to captaincy is also a recall of sorts. He was dropped from the Test XI for South Africa’s last Test, against England in January but will now automatically have his place back. It also means de Villiers will not play in his first series since being made permanent Test captain after the England series, following a period of uncertainty about his commitment to the national team.

De Villiers spent significant amounts of last summer discussing the need to manage his workload but towards the end, gave South Africans an assurance that he would not miss any international cricket but an elbow injury sustained during the CPL will rule him out of action for between six and eight weeks. “I’m naturally disappointed to miss the Test series against New Zealand, particularly because I have not missed a Test match through injury since my debut in 2004,” de Villiers said. “However, with an exciting summer of cricket ahead, it is obviously sensible to allow my elbow time to heal properly.”

Morkel, who also played in the CPL, has a bulging disk in his back and will be sidelined for four to six weeks. South Africa are hopeful of having both players fit for the start of the home ODI series against Australia in …

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