Faf on track to return for Lord’s Test

Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis is on track to captain South Africa in the first Test against England at Lord’s next week after his wife gave birth to their first child on Thursday.

Du Plessis left the Proteas squad in the UK to fly home and it was initially thought that he could miss the opening Test of the four-match series, which starts on 6 July.

However the skipper and his wife, Imari, welcomed their baby into the world more than a week before the Lord’s Test leaving Du Plessis with enough time get back and take his place in the starting XI.

Opening batsman Dean Elgar is captaining the Proteas in their three-day tour match against the England Lions and would have stood in as leader for the first Test if Du Plessis was unavailable.

ALSO READ: Kuhn plans to keep the same approach

With Du Plessis likely to play, it means Theunis de Bruyn, who was included in the starting line-up for the warm-up game, is set to miss out on the first Test.

The Proteas though are still sweating on the fitness of seamer Vernon Philander who injured his ankle while playing for Sussex in a County Championship game.

Philander was not selected for the game against the England Lions to give him more time to prove his fitness for the Lord’s Test.

Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee commented on the injury: “Vernon is in the final stages of his rehab following the injury to his right ankle two weeks ago.

“He is building on to bowl at full pace by the end of the week to prove his availability for selection for the first Test match against England at Lord’s next week.”

Coach Russell Domingo, who left the tour to go home to be with his mother who was involved in a car accident, is also likely to return before the first Test.

Faf du Plessis Proteas South Africa tour to England

Latest