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

Van der Dussen Named South Africa's Captain for T20I Tri-Series

Rassie van der Dussen is set to captain a relatively inexperienced South African squad in the upcoming T20I tri-series against New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Harare. He steps in to lead the side in the absence of regular captain Aiden Markram and several 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 features a few fresh faces, including Lhuan-dre Pretorius, the exciting young opener who was the highest run-scorer in the recent SA20 tournament. Pretorius receives his first call-up to the national side. Corbin Bosch, who already has experience in ODIs and Tests, will be looking to make his T20I debut. Rubin Hermann, another standout performer from the SA20, and Senuran Muthusamy, who has represented South Africa in other formats, complete the list of uncapped players selected for the series.

South Africa's bowling attack receives a boost with the return of pacers Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee. Both players have been sidelined with long-term injuries but are now participating in the MLC. Dewald Brevis is also set to return to the South African squad after an absence of almost two years.

This tri-series marks Shukri Conrad's inaugural T20I assignment as the all-format coach. The series commences on July 14 with South Africa facing the host nation, Zimbabwe. The final match is scheduled for July 26.

According to Conrad, "This T20I tri-series marks the beginning of our preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup next year. With several senior players being rested as part of their workload management, this provides an opportunity for other players to step up and demonstrate their capabilities, potentially earning them a spot in the World Cup squad."

Conrad further added, "Lhuan-dre and Rubin have earned their selection due to their exceptional domestic performances in the SA20, and we are eager to observe how they adapt to the demands of international cricket. We are familiar with Corbin's capabilities at this level and are keen to see how his Test and ODI skills translate to the T20I format."

South Africa Squad for T20I Tri-Series:

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