Temba Bavuma was on Friday named the first black African captain of South Africa's Test squad in what Cricket South Africa described as "part of a restructure within the leadership group of the national team", reports AFP. Dean Elgar was axed as captain, although he remains a member of the squad which starts a series against the West Indies on February 28. Chief selector Victor Mpitsang was another casualty of the shake-up, with CSA stating he had been "released" from the role.
Bavuma became the first black African to captain South Africa at cricket when he was named leader of the one-day
batting form in T20 internationals, notably in the T20 World Cup in Australia last year. According to Friday's statement,
Bavuma will remain captain of the one-day team but will relinquish his role in the T20 side. Nkwe named a 15-man squad for the two Tests against West Indies. Five players who played in the losing series in Australia in December and
January - batsmen Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen and Khaya Zondo, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and fast bowler Lungi Ngidi - have been dropped while Theunis de Bruyn has retired. Batsman Aiden Markram and all-rounder Wiaan
Mulder are recalled as is spinning all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy whose only two Tests were in India in 2019.