Fresh off an enormous win over India, South Africa will send an almost-entirely different squad to New Zealand for their upcoming series, with the governing body showing a "total disregard" for Test cricket in the process.

The side recorded a triumphant result against the WTC runners-up this past week, downing India by an innings and 32 runs.

Retiring skipper Dean Elgar was the star of the show, scoring an incredible 185 for the Proteas, while star quick Kagiso Rabada finished with seven wickets for the match in a further showcase of his undeniable ability.

However, neither will be on the plane to New Zealand, made unavailable for the tour by Cricket South Africa (CSA) so they can play in the SAT20 competition that kicks off in January.?

While the recent West Indies squad that was named to face Australia in January had big names sidelined due to decisions from the players, CSA have seemingly ?placed their own T20 competition above the potential to earn World Test Championship points.

South Africa have named seven uncapped players in their 14-man roster to face the Black Caps, including a new captain in Neil Brand, who has yet to play international cricket and possesses only a modest first-class record across 51 matches.

The only two players who were part of the victory over India will be Keegan Petersen and David Bedingham, who both featured in the middle-order in Centurion.

The decision from South Africa to make their stars withdraw from Test availability to feature in their domestic white-ball competition has drawn the ire of plenty on social media, with some questioning why the tour of New Zealand is even going ahead.

Despite the clearly under-strength lineup the Proteas will face New Zealand with at the start of 2024, head coach Shukri Conrad backed them to challenge one of Test cricket's best outfits.

"The players selected for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand,"? he said in a statement.

The series between the two Test nations will begin ?on February 4th at Bay Oval, before heading to Hamilton on February 13th.

South Africa Test squad??

Neil Brand (c), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, Khaya Zondo

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Pathetic!!!

Agreed, total nonsense. I hope the advertisers rebel, I’m guessing that’s the only thing they will take seriously.

Test cricket se moer ..................... its all about the money.

Not going to waste my time following them in NZ.

Absolute disgrace that a worthless domestic competition is taking precedence over test cricket.

Talk about some cheap test caps being handed out.

Worst part of this is that 7 of the 14 are 30 and over, one is 29, two are 28 and one is 27, so there are only 3 youngsters in the squad.

One of the squad is a 37 year old who must weigh 130kg

Absolute disgrace

It's not a worthless competition at all.

Like it or lump it, this T20 comp is brining much needed revenue into SA cricket. We need the biggest players to feature in it.

Were we England, India, or Oz, I'd not be happy. But we're not. We're South Africa, barely hanging on and able to pay our provincial players a worthwhile wage.

This is a big picture decision. It's not great, but it is ultimately for the best.

No, I don't hate Test cricket. No, I don't hate the Proteas. Test cricket is my format...by far!

Have to agree Plum 

This is blooding far many more new players for all formats of the future SA game.

I don't at all like what they are doing with the NZ tour, but we don't exactly have other huge options or funds to keep these players playing locally

The day a domestic competition takes precedence over test cricket spells the end of SA cricket

I hope NZ thrash us in those tests

"The day a domestic competition takes precedence over test cricket spells the end of SA cricket"

Agreed, but the decline in SA cricket started when compulsory quotas came into effect

A guy called Marius Roodt - @MariusCRoodt just posted on X, the team selection sheets for the upcoming U19 India and SA game

As he says, "We must be the only country in the world where the race of players is included when announcing the playing XI's"

He then shares the actual team selection sheets where one can see that the SA player selection sheet has a specific column to put the race of the player in....

C razy

Yes...don't see race...but see race...but also equality...but don't see race....But "I have a dream"...but do see race...but also don't see race.

Blacks are so hyper focused on race they can't help themselves. But they can't everyone to treat them the same as everyone else.

It literally like the toddler in the family. One has to smile and know...because apparently they aren't but mature enough to understand their hypocrisy.

Wow, what a turnaround from the 1st test

SA all out for 55 .... WTF

Get comfortable with that score DA as two more test to follow in NZ with similar scores I think.

An absolute disgrace of sending players to represent a country with many untested and poor second string team at best.

Well we best must simply admit that politics is at play and not the intertest of the top SA players as suggested by some.

Zondo is the same guy that was forced into the Protea team in the CWC in NZ eight years ago by the ANC.

Well he is in once more and with Peterson out of form and most of the rest either inexperience or more plus a Captain who has no international caps we are in for a embarassing cricket tour.

lol what a shit show.

Poor cricket all round.

See what happens when Jansen doesn't save our bacon.

I must agree  with Plum here - the issue here is money,    There is a close link between the IPL and the SA T20 comptition that ensures exra money for SA  cricket.    Th  income that SA and other playes get from he series is high and Match covering  si contributing to the funds lowing into the pockets of the players and SA  Cricket.    

Where I agree with Dave is when selecting a squad like he one gvoing t New zealand they ahd to looka t plaes not contracted by the vaiosu sA frnachises ad he result is huge shit ebing selected.   All the top SA players that coukld have been sent have franchise cotracts to play in the SA version of he IPL and that means younger playes were nto included in the so-called test team going to NZ.