Van der Dussen to Captain South Africa's T20I Squad; SA20 Stars Earn Call-Ups for Tri-Series

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

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

The squad features a blend of experienced players and exciting new talent. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, the top scorer in this year's SA20, receives his first international call-up. Corbin Bosch, already experienced in ODIs and Tests, is in line to make his T20I debut. Rubin Hermann, another standout performer from the SA20, and Senuran Muthusamy, who has represented South Africa in other formats, are also included among the uncapped players.

South Africa's pace attack is strengthened by the return of Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee, both of whom have recovered from long-term injuries and are currently playing in MLC. Dewald Brevis is also set to make a comeback, having not played for South Africa for nearly two years.

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

"This T20I tri-series marks the start of our preparation for next year's T20 World Cup," said Conrad. "With several senior players rested, it creates space for these players to step in and show what they can offer, and bring them into contention for World Cup selection."

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