De Bruyn hopes for Proteas return in 'Holy Grail' Aussie series: 'I feel really privileged'

Proteas batter Theunis de Bruyn notched up a well-played half-century on Sunday as he vies to make his first Test appearance since 2019 ahead of the first Test against Australia this week.

De Bruyn returns to the Proteas Test squad after a stellar domestic season with the Titans and will be hoping to play his first Test since Ranchi in 2019.

De Bruyn found his form and scored 88 off 86 balls on day three of the Proteas' warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

Thanks to his knock, De Bruyn will now be hoping to make his first Test appearance in three years.

De Bruyn, who has played 12 Tests from 2017 to 2019, says that playing Test cricket in Australia is the 'Holy Grail' for South African cricketers.

"We'll see what the starting eleven is. From the previous times I've played, I've matured not just as a cricketer but as a person as your perspective of life changes a bit," De Bruyn told reporters on Sunday.

"If I get the opportunity to play, I really want to take it in and enjoy the occasion. As a child, you dream of playing for the Proteas and the Holy Grail is playing a series Down Under.

"To be here is a privilege on its own. It's almost like wanting to play for the Springboks and you want to play against the All Blacks. It's that same thing for us as cricketers back home. So I feel really privileged to be here and can't wait for the first Test."

Solidifying his spot in the Proteas Test squad was always tough for De Bruyn as he only made 428 runs in his 12 Test appearances with an average of 19.45, scoring 101 in Colombo.

De Bruyn pointed to the example of when he played his second Test against England at Lord's after Faf du Plessis flew back home to welcome the birth of his first child in