Temba Bavuma replaces Dean Elgar as South Africa Test captain

Bavuma will lead the Proteas in a two-match Test series against West Indies but has stepped down from T20I captaincy

Temba Bavuma has replaced Dean Elgar as South Africa's Test captain.

The 32-year-old, who has scored 2,797 runs at 34.53 in 54 red-ball internationals, will lead South Africa in a Test match for the first time against West Indies at the end of February.

Elgar was appointed Test captain in mid-2021 and won his first four series in charge. However, the Proteas have lost four of their past five Tests in resounding fashion, resulting in series defeats against England and Australia.

He also stepped in as captain on occasion in 2017 and 2019, and has a record of nine wins, seven defeats and one draw from his 17 matches at the helm. His batting suffered during that period, with his average dropping to 26.87 when captain compared to 37.51 across his Test career.

Bavuma will continue to lead South Africa in ODI cricket but has stepped down as T20I captain. He won 15 of his 25 T20Is as skipper.

^{Bavuma replaces Dean Elgar as Test captain [Mark Brake/Getty Images]}

CSA's director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, said: "We trust he [Bavuma] will deliver on all our expectations and help carry the team forward after some excellent work by his predecessor Dean during the same period.

"At the same time, I would like to sincerely thank Dean for all his commitment to the role over the past two years.

"He helped the team navigate through some stormy waters and put them in good position on the ICC World Test Championship table.

"Both men have made us proud with the work they have done within the wider Proteas group and look forward to the next step in what is a new era for the Proteas under the leadership of dual coaches Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter."

South Africa's squad for the two-match series against West Indies features numerous changes from the one which lost to Australia, with Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lungi Ngidi, Sarel Erwee and Theunis de Bruyn – who announced his retirement from international cricket on February 16 – all deemed surplus to requirements.

Squad: Temba Bavuma (capt), Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton