AB de Villiers is likely to be fully fit when the Test series against Australia begins on March 1 in Durban

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South Africa batsman AB de Villiers and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock are set to be fully fit for the start of the four-Test series against Australia on March 1, but doubts still linger over captain Faf du Plessis and middle-order batsman Temba Bavuma.

De Villiers was ruled out of the ongoing Twenty20 series against India due to a knee injury. Prior to that, he missed the first three ODIs due to a finger injury.

As for De Kock, he sustained a wrist injury midway through the ODI series and was subsequently ruled out for the entire limited overs series.

Du Plessis is currently recovering from a fractured right index finger, which he sustained in the first ODI in Durban, while fractured his right ring finger prior to the third Test against India.

“We’ve obviously had a lot of senior guys out injured and it’s had an effect,” South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee told ESPNcricinfo. “But we are sure AB and Quinton will be ready for the first Test and we are hopeful Faf will be.

“When he was diagnosed [on February 2] we knew he would require four to six weeks recovery time, which takes us, at the earliest, to the first week in March. So we have to take it on a week-by-week basis and see how he is progressing. The same with Temba, though he might be out for a week more than Faf.”

Meanwhile, pace spearhead Dale Steyn is unlikely to be considered for selection until the third Test in Cape Town on March 22 as he is still recovering from a heel injury.

Steyn, who was diagnosed with significant tissue damage on his left heel, suffered the injury during on the second day of the first Test against India in Cape Town.