Babar Azam will begin his long-awaited stint as Pakistan’s new Test captain, after missing the New Zealand series due to a broken thumb. South Africa will begin a two-Test series from January 26 onwards, which is their first in Pakistan since 2007.

“I missed the series against New Zealand, but it’s a proud moment for me that I am doing my captaincy debut in my own country,” Azam said Monday.

“South Africa is a good team. You can’t take them lightly, but conditions suit us more because most of us have played here,” he added.

The first Test will be played in Karachi, while the second Test will be played in Rawalpindi from Feb. 4, followed by the three-match Twenty20 series in Lahore from Feb. 11-14.

PAK v SA 2021: Pakistan names 6 uncapped players in 17-man squad for 1st Test vs South Africa

The World Test Championship points have no meaning for Pakistan who is out of the race for finals, while South Africa is dependent on mathematical equations with New Zealand, India, Australia, and England fighting it out.

Azam was well aware of Pakistan’s poor Test record against South Africa, winning only four of 26 against the Proteas. One of Pakistan’s 15 losses came at the National Stadium — the venue for the first Test — when South Africa toured in 2007.

“We should not think about the past, we should focus on what’s ahead of us. It’s a fact that we don’t have a good record against them, but we have prepared well and we hope to give our best against them this time,” he said.

Pakistan has 6 uncapped players in their squad and Azam said that they might play an extra spinner along with Yasir Shah. This may indicate that left-arm spinner Nauman Ali could make his Test debut in Karachi.

Only South Africa coach Mark Boucher has previously played red-ball cricket in Pakistan, while the experienced Faf du Plessis has twice toured Pakistan over the last four years but played only in the Twenty20 format.

(AP inputs)