CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – South Africa have included precocious batting talent Dewald Brevis in their One-Day and Twenty20 International squads for their eight-match limited-overs home series against Australia starting later this month.
Brevis, 20, nicknamed “Baby AB” after one of the most destructive batters in history, AB de Villiers, has the highest score in South Africa’s domestic T20 cricket with 162 from 57 balls and was leading run-scorer at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup.
He also has experience of playing in the Indian Premier League with the Mumbai Indians, potentially putting him in the frame for the senior 50-over World Cup to be played in India later this year.
Other uncapped players in the T20 squad include wicketkeeper-batter Donovan Ferreira and fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, as well as batter Matthew Breetzke.
“We are looking for opportunities to grow our base of players, and the T20 series against Australia is a perfect chance to give some of the rising cricketers in the country the chance to show us what they are capable of,” South Africa limited overs coach Rob Walter said.
“These are guys that have been performing consistently week in and week out domestically. They also possess a particular skill set that fits into the way we are looking to play.”
Experienced campaigners Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have all been rested for the T20 series but will return for the ODIs.
South Africa host Australia for three T20 matches from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3 and five ODIs from Sept. 7 to 17.
T20 squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams and Rassie van der Dussen.
ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
