Du Plessis named as new Proteas skipper

Skipper AB de Villiers has been ruled out of South Africa's two-Test home series against New Zealand this month with an injured elbow and Faf du Plessis will take over the captaincy.

Fast bowler Morne Morkel has also been sidelined, with a bulging disc in his back, Cricket South Africa said in a statement on Tuesday.

De Villiers will be out for six-to-eight weeks, the governing body said.

The full eight-week absence would still allow de Villiers to return for the first match of South Africa's one-day international series against the touring Australians, scheduled for September 30.

"I'm naturally disappointed to miss the Test series against New Zealand, particularly because I have not missed a Test match through injury since my debut in 2004," de Villiers said.

"However, with an exciting summer of cricket ahead, it is obviously sensible to give my elbow time to heal properly."

South Africa will play three Tests in Australia this summer, starting at the WACA on November 3, before travelling to Hobart for the second Test starting November 12 and finally, a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval starting November 24.

Seamer Vernon Philander, who is currently in Queensland with South Africa A who suffered a 197-run defeat to Australia A yesterday, makes a return to the Test squad for the first time in 10 months.

Dale Steyn has also been included after recovering from the shoulder and groin problems that plagued him in the Proteas' past two Test series against India and England.

Steyn has been playing in domestic T20 competitions in India, England and the West Indies, but was dropped from South Africa's ODI team that finished third in the recent Caribbean tri-series won by Australia.

Allrounder Wayne Parnell, another who is in Queensland with South Africa A, is the only member of the 15-man squad who did not play in the most recent Test series against the English at the start of the year.

The first Test will be played in Durban from August 19-23 and the second in Pretoria, starting four days later.

The Black Caps are currently in Zimbabwe, where they won the first Test by an innings and 117 runs. The second and final Test starts on August 6.

South Africa Test squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Stiaan van Zyl.