JOHANNESBURG — AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn were Tuesday named in a 14-man squad for South Africa’s one-off day-night Test against Zimbabwe, starting in Port Elizabeth on Dec. 26.

Batsman De Villiers has not played Test cricket since January 2016 while fast bowler Steyn suffered a fractured shoulder in a Test against Australia in November 2016 and only returned to competitive cricket last month.

New ball bowler Vernon Philander is also back after missing a recent series against Bangladesh because of a back injury.

South Africa’s top four fast bowlers are reunited, with Morne Morkel having recovered from an injury he suffered during the first Test against Bangladesh.

“AB and Dale bring loads of experience to the side apart from being two of the South African all-time greats,” said selection convener Linda Zondi.

Faf du Plessis was named as captain, although he has been out of action recently following a shoulder operation.

Although De Villiers is set to return to Test action, he was withdrawn from the South African Invitation team which starts a three-day match against the Zimbabweans in Paarl Wednesday because of lower back stiffness. Zondi said the withdrawal was a precaution and that De Villiers would be available for the Test.

South African Test squad:

Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn.

Zimbabwe seek to end underdog tag

Zimbabwe cricket coach Heath Streak said he wanted his players to play "winning cricket" when they meet South Africa in a one-off day-night Test next week.

"We'd rather lose trying to play a winning brand of cricket than just compete," said Streak of a Test South Africa are expected to win comfortably.

"The main thing is belief and shaking off that underdog mentality we had," he said in Paarl, the western Cape town where Zimbabwe begin a three-day warm-up match against a South African Invitation team Wednesday.

Zimbabwe has played just ten Tests since it last met South Africa in Harare in August 2014, losing nine and drawing one.

"It's well documented how little Test cricket we play," said Streak. "I think for us it's less about the type of cricket than about playing at international level.

"Whether it's playing Tests or One-Day Internationals, it's the gaps in between that are the biggest challenge for us."

The contest with South Africa will be Zimbabwe's first day-night Test and captain Graeme Cremer admitted: "We haven't played with a pink ball and we haven't played a lot under lights." — Agencies