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Lesego Senokwane will make his test debut for the Proteas alongside Prenelan Subrayen in the second match against Zimbabwe, starting tomorrow in Bulawayo.
The two come in for Matthew Breetzke and Kwena Maphaka, respectively, while Senuran Muthusamy replaces injured Keshav Maharaj in the starting XI.
Stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder, who takes over the duties from Maharaj, says the changes were not informed by poor performances, but rather more about seeing what the other players can do.
"There are no performance concerns. I think the coaches just want to have a look at some of the other guys, and as for Lesego Senokwane, he has been knocking on the door consistently, so it's really exciting for him to make his debut here in Zimbabwe," said the interim Proteas captain.
Mulder says the new players will have a point to prove in the match, which cannot be taken lightly by their opponents.
Mulder admitted that Maharaj’s absence will be felt in the team, as one of the best test spinners in the world. The 35-year-old, who was also stand-in captain in place of Temba Bavuma, was ruled out of the match with a groin strain suffered in the 328-run win in the first test.
"Kesh (Maharaj) is a big loss for any team if he doesn't play. He is the most successful spinner in South African history, which says a lot. We will, however, look to make do without him," said Mulder.
Mulder also expressed his pride in finally getting to lead the team, having done it at the domestic level earlier in his career.
