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No Rabada, Jansen; Brevis Called Up As South Africa Announce Squad For Zimbabwe Tests

Jatin

South Africa will play two Tests vs Zimbabwe [Source: @Possible11team/x.com]South Africa will play two Tests vs Zimbabwe [Source: @Possible11team/x.com]

South Africa have named a revamped 16-man Test squad for their two-match red-ball tour of Zimbabwe later this month and it is packed with fresh faces and future stars. With the series not part of the World Test Championship, coach Shukri Conrad is using the tour as a golden chance to test the bench strength and inject some young blood into the Proteas Test setup.

Dewald Brevis Headlines South Africa’s Youth-Packed Test Squad For Zimbabwe

Leading the charge is 19-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius, the breakout batter who has taken the domestic circuit by storm. The southpaw has only played six first-class games so far, but he has lit up the scene with three hundreds, including a century in the domestic final. An average of 65.57 in red-ball cricket is no fluke and now, he has got a golden ticket to show his chops at the Test level.

Dewald Brevis has finally cracked the code in longer formats. After years of hype and T20 blitzes, Brevis put his head down this domestic season and piled up 573 runs in just 12 innings with two tons and two fifties to boot. His average of 47.75 did all the talking.

“He’s shown real growth and maturity in the longer format,” said Conrad, praising the 21-year-old’s rise as a proper all-format batter.

Uncapped Quartet Gets Their Shot

Alongside Pretorius and Brevis, Lesego Senokwane Codi Yusuf and spin allrounder Prenelan Subrayen are the other uncapped faces in the squad. All three have earned their stripes domestically. 

Senokwane was the fourth-highest run-scorer, Yusuf ended as joint-fifth in the wicket tally and Subrayen spun webs around batting lineups to finish second in wickets. With the injection of young blood, Conrad has made it clear that he is building a team for the 2025–27 WTC cycle.

Big Names Rested while others wait in the wings

Seasoned campaigners like Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen have been rested. Dane Paterson is likely to retire after WTC 2025 final and three frontline quicks Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams are still recovering from injuries.

Anrich Nortje, who has been in and out of action due to injury and turned down a central contract last season, isn’t in this Test squad either. But Conrad hinted he might return for the T20I tri-series that follows with New Zealand joining South Africa and Zimbabwe in that party.

Maphaka And Ngidi To Lead The Bowling Attack

With the pace battery a bit light, Kwena Maphaka, who made his Test debut earlier this year will team up with Lungi Ngidi. Wiaan Mulder offers seam-bowling backup, while Keshav Maharaj and Subrayen will handle the spin.

South Africa Squad For Zimbabwe Tests

Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi Yusuf