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Decoding why South Africa had no choice but drop Tristan Stubbs for T20 World Cup squad

Rajgeeta Yadav

Tristan Stubbs [Source: AFP]Tristan Stubbs [Source: AFP]

South Africa have surprised many fans by announcing a squad that left out the projected to be the next big thing, Tristan Stubbs, for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The Proteas enter the 2026 T20 World Cup as runners-up from the previous edition and are aiming to go one step further and win their first ICC white-ball trophy. 

Cricket South Africa revealed the squad for the tournament starting next month, where the team will face strong competition in a difficult group that includes New Zealand and Afghanistan.

With Tristan Stubbs, a rising talent in South African cricket, not finding a place in the final squad, the selectors chose several experienced and multi-skilled players. So, let us look at the possible reasons behind this call.

Tristan Stubbs’ recent performance in T20Is

Tristan Stubbs has played 42 T20I matches for South Africa so far. During this time, he has scored 822 runs with an average of 27.40 and a strike rate of 132.15.

While these numbers show promise, which include some impactful innings in the past, his form in the year 2025 has not matched the lofty standards he had set earlier.

In 2025, Stubbs scored only 152 runs in 7 innings with an average of 21.71. Needless to say, these figures indicate a drop in consistency.

Criteria
Stats
Inns7
Runs152
Average21.71
SR121.60

[Tristan Stubbs' T20I numbers in 2025]

Meanwhile, during the recent T20I series against India played in India, he scored just 23 runs in 2 innings with a strike rate of 104.55. This performance did not help his case ahead of squad selection.

Tristan Stubbs ongoing struggle in SA20

At the same time, Stubbs is also struggling in the ongoing SA20 league. So far, he has managed only 28 runs in 3 innings with a strike rate of 103.70. These numbers suggest that his batting rhythm has been missing at a crucial stage before the World Cup.

Comparison with South Africa’s selected middle-order batters

South Africa selected David Miller, Dewald Brevis, and Donovan Ferreira in their 15-member squad. While comparing Stubbs with these players, experience and recent form clarity seem to have played a key part.

  • David Miller remains a key figure in South Africa’s middle order. In 111 T20I innings, he has scored over 2,523 runs with a strike rate of 141.7 and an average of 33.6. Notably, Miller also has an excellent record in Indian conditions. 
  • Since the World Cup will be played in India and Sri Lanka, his experience holds extra value. In India, he has scored 336 runs in 15 innings with an average of 42 and a strike rate of 179.67.
  • Meanwhile, Dewald Brevis has shown strong potential in limited opportunities. In 19 innings for South Africa, the CSK prodigy has scored 469 runs. Notably, batting at number four, he has made 313 runs in 12 innings with an impressive strike rate of 166.48. These numbers reflect his ability to score quickly in the middle overs, something which was missing from Stubbs (121.60 strike rate in 2025).
  • While talking about Donovan Ferreira, he has played 15 innings for South Africa and scored 240 runs. Meanwhile, his value goes beyond batting. Ferreira offers additional skills as a wicketkeeper, making him a multi-dimensional player.

Considering the current form of the selected player and their experience, South Africa’s selectors seem to have prioritised players who offer consistency and extra skills, and get the silverware that they missed just by a whisker last time around. Therefore, Stubbs had to make his way in order to make his team a better one.

However, the last-minute change in the squad due to unforeseen happenings could bring him back in the mix as well, for a fairytale redemption.