Saim Ayub And...? 3 Pakistan Players To Watch Out For In 1st Test Vs South Africa

Saim Ayub will be a key player [Source: @hemantbhavsar86/X.Com]

After an emphatic ODI series win, Pakistan will be riding high on confidence ahead of the Test series against the South African side. The Mohammad Rizwan led side were outstanding in the ODIs, but now the format has changed and the captain has also changed.

Shan Masood will be the skipper of the team and he will have a great responsibility to carry on the great work done by the white-ball captain. The Boxing-Day Test between the two sides will start on December 26, and ahead of the contest, we take a look at 3 Pakistan players who can make a difference in the first Test match.

3) Saim Ayub

The rising star of Pakistan cricket, Saim Ayub has been on a roll in white-ball cricket as of late. The resurgence started on the Australian tour, and it was followed by a 53-ball hundred against Zimbabwe, and the hallmark of his short career came in the ODIs Vs the Proteas.

In the three match series, he scored two centuries and helped his side win the contest. Saim will open the innings in the first Test and will carry the confidence from the ODIs into the Test series and can be a dangerous player if he gets settled in. His Test numbers aren't that great, but the elegant left-hander will be oozing with  confidence after recent performances.

2) Mir Hamza

The future long-term successor of Shaheen Afridi, Mir Hamza has a golden opportunity to cement his permanent place in the Test team. Shaheen opted out of the tour due to workload management and Hamza is likely to play the first Test.

If he performs well, the comeback doors for Shaheen will be permanently closed. Plus, having a quality left-arm seamer is always a boon and Hamza could come in as a surprise for the Proteas batters.

1) Babar Azam

The best batter of Pakistan cricket returns to the longest format of the game. Babar has endured a tough 2024, not scoring a single half-century in Test cricket, and as a result was dropped from the final two Tests Vs England.

He is back in the side and the former Test captain will be eager to prove his doubters wrong after Test exclusion. Babar loves playing in South African conditions and will be relishing the opportunity to make a statement with run-scoring against the Proteas.

---

ALSO READ

Shaheen Afridi Replaced, Abdullah Shafique Out; Pakistan's Strongest XI For 1st Test vs SA

---