Cape Town – Proteas captain Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of the day/night Test against Zimbabwe starting at St George’s Park on Tuesday.

Du Plessis developed a viral infection this week which delayed his return to full fitness following lower back and shoulder injuries.

AB de Villiers has been appointed as the stand-in captain for the one-off match.

Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee explained Du Plessis’s withdrawal: “Faf has been making steady progress from the respective back and shoulder injuries and until last week was on track to make a comeback in this match. He developed a respiratory tract infection which delayed his recovery this week, and subsequently made it difficult for him to make a full recovery in time for the match. He will continue to receive treatment and rehab from our physiotherapist, Craig Govender, and we are hopeful he will recover in time to lead the team for the first Test match against India starting in Cape Town on January 5.”

Commenting on the captaincy appointment, National Selection Panel Convenor, Linda Zondi said: “It is unfortunate that Faf is missing out due to injury but we would rather take the precaution ahead of a busy summer of cricket at home. AB has captained South Africa in both the limited-overs and Test formats and his experience and expertise will be invaluable for this first Test match of the season. This is a one-off appointment and we thank AB for accepting the decision at such short notice.”