Dewald Brevis and…? South African players who can be dangerous for Pakistan in Test series

Pakistan will take on SA in two-match Test series (Source: AFP)

Pakistan and South Africa are all set to take on each other in the two-match Test series. The first Test will be played in Lahore, while the second match will be in Rawalpindi. 

The pitches for both the Tests are expected to be spin-friendly, and it will be a unique challenge for the WTC champions, South Africa. Thus, they would have to adjust to the wickets while Pakistan are also under immense pressure after some indifferent results in the last couple of years.

Therefore, another series loss could create massive problems in Pakistan cricket. So, if South Africa get their act together, Pakistan might struggle and here are the Proteas players who can be dangerous for the home side in the upcoming series.

Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram will lead South Africa in the upcoming Test series, and his performance will be critical in determining the fortunes of the Proteas. He has been in great form in recent times as well and scored a century against Australia in the WTC final.

Thus, he would have to bat deep for South Africa under testing conditions, and his experience of playing earlier in Pakistan is likely to help him. He has scored one century and one fifty in the two Tests he has played in Pakistan and thus would be a guiding force for the visitors.

Aiden Markram in Test cricket vs Pakistan

He can also be effective with his off-breaks if the conditions are spin-friendly, and thus Pakistan need to keep him in check.

Keshav Maharaj

Keshav Maharaj is one of the premier spin bowlers in world cricket currently. In the last few years, he has done well across formats and can run through the batting line-up if the conditions help him a bit.

Keshav Maharaj in Test cricket vs Pakistan

The good thing for Pakistan is that he will not be available for the first Test, but he will be there in the second game and can trouble the home team. He has also done well in the two Test matches played in Pakistan, with 10 wickets in those. Also, in the last 10 Test matches, he has picked 45 wickets and thus would be a big threat for Pakistan in the Rawalpindi game.

---

ALSO READ

Babar Azam on the verge of breaking former Pakistan captain's huge record in SA Tests

---

Dewald Brevis

Dewald Brevis, the young South African superstar, has just played two Test matches in his career. However, he has been in great form in other formats and also made a fifty on his Test debut.

The 22-year-old is known for his strokeplay and bats in the same way in the longest format. Now, with conditions expected to assist spinners in Pakistan, the matches could be low-scoring, and in such a scenario, quick runs off the bat of Brevis would be crucial. 

Dewald Brevis in first-class cricket

Brevis is a good player of spin and a clean-hitter, and thus if Pakistan bowlers get it wrong, he can take the game away from them. The aggressive style of play has been successful for Brevis in first-class cricket so far, and with the kind of confidence he has shown in the last few months, he can replicate that at the Test level too.

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is one of the premier fast bowlers in the world, and the pacer has done well in most of the games that South Africa have won in Test cricket. He is also an experienced bowler who has played a lot in the subcontinent conditions and is one pacer who can trouble Pakistan even if the conditions don't assist him much.

Kagiso Rabada in Test cricket vs Pakistan

Rabada has raw pace and aggression that a fast bowler requires in the subcontinent conditions, and if he manages to extract reverse swing, he can be very dangerous. Thus, Pakistan batters would need to be cautious against Rabada and not allow him to dominate them by giving away wickets.

---

ALSO READ

No Babar Azam; Rauf out, Saim Ayub dropped? Pakistan's probable squad for SA T20I series

---