South Africa Announces 16-Member Squad for Two-Match Test Series Against Zimbabwe

Cricket South Africa has announced a 16-member squad for the Test series against Zimbabwe. It will be a two-match series, scheduled from 28 June to 10 July at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. The series will also mark South Africa’s first Test assignment in the new cycle after the 2023–25 World Test Championship Final.

Temba Bavuma will continue to lead the side into the new cycle. Several key players have been rested for the series, including Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Ryan Rickelton, and Tristan Stubbs.

They will be replaced by Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Codi Yusuf, Dewald Brevis, and Prenelan Subrayen—all of whom are yet to debut for the senior Test side. Three of these uncapped players—Pretorius, Senokwane, and Yusuf—have been named in a Test squad for the first time.

These players have been sensational in the South African domestic circuit and have rightfully earned their places. Among them is Lhuan-dré Pretorius, a teenage prodigy who had a remarkable breakthrough season in the CSA 4-Day Series, finishing with an outstanding average of 72.66, including three centuries.

Lesego Senokwane is another young batting sensation who also scored three centuries, finishing the season with 559 runs. Both made their South Africa A debuts recently against West Indies A and impressed the selectors enough to be included in the senior squad. Codi Yusuf, a pace sensation in his early days, has been a consistent wicket-taker in the 4-Day Series, collecting 23 wickets at an average of 22.39.

On the other hand, Subrayen and Brevis have travelled with the national team in the past but are yet to make their Test debuts. Brevis was the second-highest run-scorer in the domestic first-class circuit, while Subrayen impressed against West Indies A by picking up a five-wicket haul and scoring 64 runs.

South Africa is currently playing a four-day practice Test against Zimbabwe in England as part of their preparation for the World Test Championship Final against Australia, starting June 11.

South Africa Test Squad vs Zimbabwe

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-dré Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, and Codi Yusuf.

Fixtures

• 28 June – 02 July: First Test, Bulawayo

06 – 10 July: Second Test, Bulawayo