Proteas look to World Cup ambitions in their white-ball squads to face Australia

Daily Maverick

24-07-2025

Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad's first full-strength white-ball squads indicate the thinking for the upcoming white-ball World Cups, with Reeza Hendricks dropped from the T20I side and Rassie van der Dussen culled from the ODI squad.
Proteas all-format head coach Shukri Conrad has selected his first full-strength white-ball squads since taking over the role across formats.
Conrad has kept regular captains Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma in their roles as T20I and One-Day International leaders respectively for South Africa's six-match white-ball series against Australia in August.
Notably, it's the last squad that Conrad will select solely, across formats, with Cricket South Africa (CSA) appointing Patrick Moroney as convenor of selectors earlier this month, with his role starting officially on 1 August 2025.
The 15-player T20 squad is close to what Conrad is looking to take to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka at the start of next year, with four spinners selected, including Prenelan Subrayen, who will make his debut in the format if selected alongside Nqaba Peter, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy. Conrad indicated that all four spinners are the front-runners for a spot in next year's T20 World Cup, with Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin and Tabraiz Shamsi further down the pecking order.
Longer-term view
'The 50-over side is a slightly longer-term view,' Conrad explained. 'Because we've got a couple of years before the 2027 World Cup (at home), but we've got a T20 World Cup happening in a couple of months time.'
There are two glaring omissions in the ODI side, however, with Rassie van der Dussen's name only down for the shortest format, while David Miller was not selected in either squad.
Despite Conrad saying — in his first press-conference as white-ball head coach — that players unavailable for bilateral series would not be considered for World Cups, Miller is being allowed to play in England's franchise tournament, The Hundred, which coincides with the tour. This is because the agreement with CSA for Miller to play in the tournament was made prior to Conrad's appointment.
Van der Dussen, despite being one of the ODI team's most consistent players, seems to have numbered days in the format. The 36-year-old will be 38 when the tournament rolls around.
'I'm certainly not going to rule Rassie or any of the older guys out,' Conrad said. 'But it gives me — because we've got time before the 2027 World Cup — it gives me a chance to blood some of the younger players and then see how they develop.
'Then post the T20 World Cup, we'll probably be in a better position to decide on guys like Rassie and David.'
Youngsters
Conrad is currently in Zimbabwe with a much younger T20 squad looking to seal a tri-series victory in their final against New Zealand on Saturday.
So far, they've lost twice against the Black Caps and won twice against Zimbabwe.
'I'm not making light of any of the other games, but I think the final on Saturday will give us a really good idea of where everybody's at,' Conrad said about the group of players he's been working with in the neighbouring country. 'But I'm really excited about the young talent we've got at our disposal, especially in the T20 format. They're players that can make huge impacts.'
Of the youngsters in Zimbabwe, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis have both cracked the nod for both squads to take on Australia, and Kwena Maphaka is in the T20 side.
Thirty-five-year-old Reeza Hendricks, who has the third most runs for South Africa in the shortest format, also looks to have run his last race for the national side, with Saturday's match against New Zealand probably his last.
'Unfortunately, I think there are players that have flown past Reeza,' Conrad said. 'Reeza has been a great performer for South Africa, especially in this format.
'But it's no secret that Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton are my preferred opening batters.
'Then it makes it difficult for Razzle (Hendricks) to fit in. Guys that potentially could open the batting and bat in the middle, i.e. Rassie and Lhuan-dre, give you that cover as well if you need an opening bat.
'It's unfortunate that it's fallen this way on Reeza. But I just feel that there are other guys that give us better options.' DM
Proteas T20I squad against Australia
Aiden Markram (captain, Titans), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), George Linde (Western Province), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Nqaba Peter (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada ( Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins) and Rassie van der Dussen (Lions).
Proteas ODI squad against Australia
Temba Bavuma (captain, Lions), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Tony de Zorzi ( Western Province), Aiden Markram (Titans), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Keshav Maharaj ( Dolphins), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), and Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins)