Quinton de Kock and Dale Steyn have been rested for the first two ODI © Getty

South Africa have rested Quinton de Kock and Dale Steyn for the first two ODIs against Pakistan, starting Saturday (January 19). In their place, Aiden Markram and Duanne Olivier have been called up.

Squad: Faf du Plessis(c), Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Duanne Olivier, Rassie van der Dussen

Steyn had walked off the field clutching his shoulder during the third Test against Pakistan recently, and the break should give him more time to hit peak fitness, while Duanne Olivier's superb returns during the Test series sees him being rewarded with the call up. For Markram, too, the chance will provide him with revive his ODI career, which has seen him score just 407 runs in 16 ODIs so far, with a top score of 66.

It will also provide South Africa with the opportunity to add two more names into the list of potentials for the World Cup.

The ODIs start on Saturday in Port Elizabeth, before moving to Durban. South Africa are expetced to name a new squad for the final three ODIs of the series.