Van der Dussen to Captain South Africa's Revamped Squad in T20I Tri-Series Against New Zealand and Zimbabwe

Rassie van der Dussen has been named captain of a revamped South African squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Harare, featuring New Zealand and Zimbabwe. He steps into the leadership role in the absence of regular captain Aiden Markram and other senior players, who are being rested as part of workload management.

Rassie van der Dussen will lead SA in the absence of regular skipper Aiden Markram © Getty

The squad includes exciting new talent, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius earning his first call-up after a stellar performance in the SA20 league. Corbin Bosch, already experienced in ODIs and Tests, will aim to make his T20I debut. Rubin Hermann and Senuran Muthusamy, both of whom have previously represented the national side in other formats, complete the list of uncapped players selected for the series.

The return of pace bowlers Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee further strengthens the South African team. Both players have been sidelined with injuries but are now participating in the MLC. Dewald Brevis is also set to make a comeback, marking his return to the South African side after nearly two years.

This tri-series marks Shukri Conrad's inaugural T20I assignment as the all-format coach. The series is scheduled to commence on July 14, with South Africa facing Zimbabwe in the opening match, and the final set for July 26.

According to Conrad, this series signifies the beginning of preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup next year. He emphasized that resting senior players provides an opportunity for new players to showcase their abilities and compete for a spot in the World Cup squad.

Conrad added, "Lhuan-dre and Rubin have been rewarded for their outstanding domestic form in the SA20 and we're excited to see how they adapt to the demands of international cricket. We know what Corbin has to offer at this level and we are keen to see how his Test and ODI skills will translate to the T20I arena."

The South African squad is as follows:

Squad: Rassie van der Dussen (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane