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

Rassie van der Dussen is set to lead a relatively inexperienced South African squad in the upcoming T20I tri-series against New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Harare. He steps into the captain's role in the absence of regular skipper Aiden Markram, who, along with other senior players, is being rested as part of a workload management strategy.

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

The squad includes exciting new talent, such as Lhuan-dre Pretorius, the top scorer in the recent SA20 league, who receives his first international call-up. Corbin Bosch, already experienced in ODIs and Tests, will have the chance 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 among the uncapped players selected for the series.

The South African team is further strengthened by the return of fast bowlers Nandre Burger and Gerald Coetzee. Both players have recovered from long-term injuries and are currently participating in the MLC. Dewald Brevis, who hasn't played for South Africa for nearly two years, is also set to make a comeback.

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

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

He 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 Africa squad for the tri-series is:

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