SA vs WI, Test series: Here is the statistical preview
South Africa will host West Indies for a two-match Test series, starting on February 28. The matches will be held at Centurion and Johannesburg. It has been nearly nine years since SA last hosted WI for Tests. With SA being knocked out of the ICC World Test Championship final race, they will be eyeing a dominant show versus the Caribbeans. Here's the statistical preview.
Here's the head-to-head record
SA have a 20-3 win-loss record over West Indies in Test cricket (Draws: 7). At home, the Proteas boast a 12-1 record over their rivals (Draws: 2). Notably, South Africa have won each of their four Test series against West Indies at home.
South Africa's Test squad
South Africa's Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Kegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton.
Presenting WI's Test squad
West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Akeem Jordan, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Devon Thomas.
Elgar eyes multiple feats
Dean Elgar has amassed 5,027 runs at 37.51. He can surpass Zaheer Abbas (5,062), Arjuna Ranatunga (5,105), and Ian Botham (5,200). At home, the southpaw has aggregated 3,159 runs at 47.14. He can leapfrog Gary Kirsten (3,384) to become SA's fifth-highest run-getter in Tests at home. He will rank behind Jacques Kallis (7,035), Hashim Amla (5,135), AB de Villiers (4,788), and Graeme Smith (3,986).
Bavuma's maiden assignment as Test captain
Temba Bavuma was appointed SA's Test captain last week. He replaced Elgar, under whom SA recently suffered a 0-2 defeat versus Australia Down Under. The former has amassed 2,797 runs in 54 matches at 34.53. He is 203 short of attaining 3,000 runs in Test cricket. Bavuma (4,342) is also 158 short of reaching the 4,500-run mark in international cricket.
A look at other feats SA players can achieve
Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen owns 41 wickets in 10 Tests at 21.66. He is nine short of attaining 50 scalps. Right-arm pacer Kagiso Rabada has claimed 161 Test wickets at home, averaging 19.96. He can surpass Kallis (165) to become SA's fifth-highest wicket-taker in this regard. Dale Steyn (261), Makhaya Ntini (249), Shaun Pollock (235), and Allan Donald (177) occupy the top four spots.
Brathwaite can breeze past batting legends
West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite has racked up 2,406 runs in away Tests, averaging 33.41 (100s: 4, 50s: 14). The top-order batter can breach the 2,500-run mark. He can surpass the likes of Marlon Samuels (2,430), Tillakaratne Dilshan (2,433), Kapil Dev (2,438), Michael Vaughan (2,448), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2,496), and Adam Gilchrist (2,512) in this regard.
Roach and Gabriel seek these numbers
Right-arm quick Kemar Roach has taken 254 scalps at 27.30. He can leapfrog the likes of Graeme Swann (255), Jason Gillespie (259), and Danish Kaneria (261). Roach can surpass Joel Garner (259) to become the fifth-highest wicket-taker for West Indies in Tests. Fellow seamer Shannon Gabriel has collected 162 wickets at 31.88. He can go past the tally of Fidel Edwards (165).
