Lhuan-dre Pretorius of the Titans in action against the Lions at The Wanderers Stadium on 14 April 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images) 
A few young, aspiring Proteas have a chance to stake their claim for a spot in the world champion Proteas playing XI.
South Africa take on Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in a two-match Test series starting on Saturday, 28 June 2025. Several World Test Championship (WTC) final stars will miss the series against their geographical neighbours as coach Shukri Conrad — who currently serves as sole selector — has opted to rest them before a busy white-ball schedule.
None of the star WTC trio of Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram or Kagiso Rabada was aboard the plane that jetted off on Tuesday from OR Tambo International airport to Bulawayo.
Skipper Bavuma was initially announced in the squad, but a hamstring injury he sustained while batting in the second innings of the WTC final has ruled him out for the tour. Markram and Rabada, meanwhile, along with Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen, are being rested. They have all secured their spots in the first-choice Test playing XI after playing vital roles in South Africa’s journey to the WTC final and helping to clinch the Test mace at Lord’s.
Their absence from the squad does open the door for a number of talented young players to grab their opportunity for regular higher honours. Among them are two of the most talked about young cricketers in the world: Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Dewald Brevis.
Young prospects
Pretorius, still only 19 years old, has had a domestic and franchise breakout season of note across the last summer, lighting the white-ball circuit up with his fearless attitude at the crease and powerful wrists at the point of contact with the ball.
His talent has led to overseas opportunities, including being called up as a late injury replacement for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League — although he did not get a game — as well as running out for Hampshire in England in the Vitality T20 Blast.
Despite the white-ball formats being where the talented southpaw has caught the most attention, his red-ball form for the Titans has been exemplary. Pretorius averaged 72.66 with the willow last season, which included three centuries and one half-century across only seven innings.
In the long term he looks to be battling it out for the wicketkeeper-batter position with Kyle Verreynne — who is also on the tour of Zimbabwe — but could play solely as a batter on this tour to gain experience.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TL_2129227.jpg "Dewald Brevis of the Titans. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/1237065909.jpg "Prenelan Subrayen in action against India A at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo: Charle Lombard / Gallo Images / Getty Images)")
The international retirement of Heinrich Klaasen has also opened up the door for the youngster in white-ball cricket for the national team, with no clear heir to the throne.
Brevis, three years Pretorius’ senior but still only 22 years old, has, for the first time in his career, moulded his supreme talent with consistency this past season.
This has transpired across formats, but particularly in first-class cricket where he finished the last domestic season as the second-highest run scorer in the four-day competition. Brevis racked up 573 runs in 12 innings, with his strike rate of 88.69 standing out. He scored two centuries and two half-centuries to go with that.
Both batters will be competing for a spot in South Africa’s middle order.
Spin option
In the absence of Bavuma, the tour will be captained by South Africa’s most successful red ball spinner in left-arm orthodox Keshav Maharaj.
It’s a big tour for Maharaj, who is approaching 200 Test wickets, and who will become the first South African spinner to that mark, needing just one more scalp to reach it.
In a rare occurrence for the Proteas, he will probably be accompanied by a second spinner on tour in Dolphins teammate Prenelan Subrayen — who will make his debut for the country if selected.
South Africa will tour India in a two-match Test series at the end of the year, where spin has traditionally played a massive role. This period in Zimbabwe will serve as a trial for Subrayen who has passed every other requirement so far, which includes a brilliant first-class record of 242 wickets in 77 first-class matches, as well as starting for SA “A” recently with a five-wicket haul in his last bowling innings.
The 31-year-old is the only other spinner, outside of Maharaj, in the squad, with spin bowling all-rounder Senuram Muthasamy, who has been part of South Africa’s Test squads across the summer as well as the WTC final, not making the cut this time around.
Bowling piece
Two key omissions from the squad against Zimbabwe are regular opening bowlers Rabada and Jansen.
Conrad has selected the pair in every opportunity he has had to do so, and justifiably so, given their superb records, but the third pace bowling option has rotated.
Dane Paterson, Kwena Maphaka, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi have all competed for the role over the past 18 months.
On this occasion, Ngidi, Maphaka and 27-year-old Lions pacer Codi Yusuf — the latter receiving his first sniff of international cricket — will audition for the position.
Ngidi is the front runner for the role, having impressed in South Africa’s second bowling innings against Australia in the WTC final, and will probably lead the attack in Zimbabwe while 19-year-old Maphaka will play only his second Test match in Bulawayo.
Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder are also in the side as seam bowling all-rounder options.
Sealing a spot
Recent domestic form has been thoroughly rewarded by Conrad as Lesego Senokwane and Zubayr Hamza have the chance to exhibit his first-class form on the international stage.
Hamza, who led the run scoring charts for number three batters domestically last season has also been reintroduced to the national fold for the first time since South Africa sent a weakened side to New Zealand at the start of last year.
Senokwane — who faced the new cherry for the now relegated Knights last season, but has since been picked up by the Titans — scored 559 runs in 10 innings at an average of 55.9 for the struggling outfit in red ball cricket.
The 28-year-old will probably open the batting alongside Tony de Zorzi, who was part of the WTC squad but didn’t play. De Zorzi was an integral part of the Test side until an injury ruled him out of playing against Pakistan at Newlands at the New Year’s Test.
Rickelton was promoted to open the batting in his place and scored a magnificent double-century. With that knock, Rickelton usurped De Zorzi in the national team pecking order.
Conrad has identified Markram and Rickelton as his preferred opening pair, but a big showing from Senokwane, De Zorzi or any of the other initiated members of the squad could see them replicate Rickelton’s accomplishment and force themselves into Conrad’s long-term planning. DM