Published : 15 Nov 2026, 01:59 PM
Updated : 15 Nov 2026, 02:01 PM
Bangladesh will bat first against South Africa in the opening Test in Johannesburg, handing a debut to young opener Mahfijul Islam.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday, with South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma saying he would have made the same decision.
The Tigers have named three specialist pacers in Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, alongside Mehidy Hasan Miraz as their only specialist spinner.
South Africa, by contrast, have opted for a four-pronged pace attack.
Shanto had earlier indicated that Bangladesh could turn to the part-time spin of Towhid Hridoy and Mominul Haque if required.
Mahfijul, 22, becomes Bangladesh's 112th Test cricketer after earning his maiden international call-up on the back of an impressive National Cricket League campaign.
The right-handed opener scored 672 runs in 10 innings across five matches at an average of 74.66 in the ongoing domestic competition.
He has amassed 1,145 runs in 19 first-class matches at an average of 33.67, including four centuries and three half-centuries.
Bangladesh have also welcomed back experienced batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul, while Hridoy has retained his place following his record-breaking unbeaten 242 against West Indies in Sylhet.
Hridoy initially entered the side as a replacement for an injured Mushfiqur for the first Test against West Indies and remained in the XI when Mominul was ruled out of the second Test with a concussion.
Bangladesh head into the series looking to end a winless run across formats since their historic success against Australia in Darwin, having recently lost a home Test series to West Indies.
Their record in South Africa offers little encouragement. Bangladesh have lost all eight previous Tests in the country, five by an innings and the other three by margins of 220, 332 and 333 runs.
The series also carries significance for Bangladesh's hopes of remaining in contention for a place in the World Test Championship final.
Bangladesh XI: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mahfijul Islam Robin, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain.
