South Africa has announced a 16-man squad for their forthcoming two-match series against Zimbabwe, which will take place in Bulawayo from June 28 to July 10 ahead of the next World Test Championship cycle (2025–27). Lhuan-dré Pretorius, a 19-year-old batter, is one of five uncapped players on the team.
The series, which is not a part of the World Test Championship, is expected to be a great way to develop talent and try new things. Shukri Conrad, the head coach of South Africa, has taken use of the chance to rest a number of experienced players, including Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, and Tristan Stubbs, while also bringing in fresh talent.
Following strong domestic cricket performances, Pretorius rose through the ranks in anticipation of a possible Rainbow Nation whites debut. The teenage player averages more than 65.00 in the red-ball format and hammered three hundreds in only five Titans first-class games, including a game-saving 114 in the final.
Alongside him are Lions right-arm seamer Codi Yusuf, who claimed 23 wickets at 22.39, and Titans batsman Lesego Senokwane, who amassed 559 runs throughout the domestic season. They also feature Prenelan Subrayen and Dewald Brevis, who are expected to make their Test debuts.
“Dewald is deserving of great praise for his development in the last 12 months. In the longer format, he’s demonstrated genuine development and maturity, and it’s heartening to watch him become a more well-rounded cricketer,” Conrad said in a CSA statement.
In a recent four-day encounter against West Indies A, Subrayen scored a crucial half-century and claimed five wickets for South Africa A. However, Nandre Burger is recuperating from a back injury sustained playing T20 cricket, Gerald Coetzee is being managed for long-term red-ball fitness, and Lizaad Williams is nearing the end of his recuperation from knee surgery and will not be able to play in the tour.
In Zimbabwe, Test captain Temba Bavuma will captain a youthful team that also includes Zubayr Hamza and Lungi Ngidi. The team will go for Zimbabwe on June 24. The Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo will host the first Test match from June 28 to July 2 and the second from July 6 to July 10.
South Africa’s team for the Zimbabwe Test series
Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, and Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kyle Verreynne, and Codi Yusuf
India
