Glimpse into South Africa's future: Young squad set for Zimbabwe challenge

South Africa's young squad to play in Zimbabwe in a two-Test series starting on Saturday provides a window into their next-best, with regular captain Temba Bavuma out injured and five other regulars being rested. They will be without their top order as Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have been given time off and their new-ball pair of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, while Lungi Ngidi will only join the squad for the second Test.

That presents an opportunity for those just on the fringes of selection for the first XI to make their case to play for the Test champions, ahead of a tough next cycle. These matches do not form part of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship (as Zimbabwe are not a WTC-playing country) so South Africa's title defence starts in October with an away series in Pakistan, followed by a two-Test series against India in India in November. They will not play home Tests until they host Australia in October 2026. The cycle also includes home series against England and Bangladesh and two Tests in Sri Lanka. Coach Shukri Conrad has cast the net wide as he seeks to build depth, starting in Zimbabwe. So who are the new and newish faces? We've got the cheat sheet (and what a possible XI could look like, in batting order) here:

1. Tony de Zorzi or Lesogo Senokwane

The regular opener for the bulk of the last WTC, Tony de Zorzi suffered a thigh injury ahead of the New Year's Test this year, where Ryan Rickelton scored 259, lost his place in the final. In isolation, that would seem an unfortunate set of circumstances which should see de Zorzi back in the frame as the incumbent but he will have to work to get his spot back. Before the niggle, de Zorzi had scored 44 runs in six innings, a deflating return at home after his career-best 177 in Chattogram. His dismissals have exposed a defensive shortcoming, especially against the full ball on the drive and he will want to show that has tightened up. Another option would be to use Lesogo Senokwane in his preferred opening spot. Senokwane was the fourth-leading run-scorer in the first-class competition and could make his debut in Zimbabwe.

2. Matthew Breetzke or Lhuan-dre Pretorius

With one Test (and no runs) to his name, but a reputation for aggressive stroke play, this is Matthew Breetkze's opportunity to show what he can do at the top of the order. He is 83 runs away from 3,500 in first-class cricket, including eight hundreds. So the pedigree is there but he may also be looking over his shoulder at the likes of Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who could leapfrog him in the national plans. At just 19 and with only seven first-class caps to his name, Pretorius is being fast-tracked but not without proof. He scored three hundreds in seven first-class matches last summer, including an under-pressure knock in the final.

3. Wiaan Mulder or Zubayr Hamza

This is the least certain position in South Africa's Test XI and Wiaan Mulder did not appear a convincing solution in the WTC final. His 50-ball 27 in the second innings has repeatedly been described by Conrad as crucial to stabilising South Africa's chase but there's little doubt more will be expected of him in that position going forward. Either Mulder will be given the Zimbabwe series to try and make the spot his own or it will be given to a more traditional No.3, like Hamza, who played eight Tests between 2019 and 2024, and averages 46.73 in the spot.

4. Dewald Brevis

Arguably, the most exciting of the batting prospects, it is a matter of when, not if, Dewald Brevis will play for South Africa. He made good on the reputation he carried from finishing as the leading run-scorer in the 2022 under-19 World Cup last summer when he was the second-highest run-scorer in the first-class competition, where he averaged 47.75 and appears ready for the next step. Sidenote: He (and we) have dropped the "Baby AB" moniker as Brevis looks to make his own name.

5. David Bedingham

Much like Mulder, this is the series for Bedingham to really take ownership of his spot. He scored a composed 45 in the first innings of the WTC final and was there, on 21, at the end but a Test average of 35.55 with one hundred does not do justice to his first-class numbers. Bedingham has over 8,400 runs at an average of 50.38 and with extensive experience on the county circuit, is seen as someone South Africa can build a batting line-up around.

6. Mulder/Senokwane/Pretorius

One of the top-order batters may have to move down to No.6, where they will have to play a slightly different but equally challenging role. Mulder may be the most likely, especially if he has a big workload with the ball and is being considered for a spot lower down the order in the next WTC cycle.

7. Kyle Verreynne

South Africa's regular wicketkeeper was not given the series off and comes in as a senior player. With 25 Test caps, he is second only to Keshav Maharaj in experience and also the most in-form batter of the squad. Verreynne scored three centuries in the last WTC cycle and hit the winning runs in the final and heads to Zimbabwe with major confidence.

8. Keshav Maharaj

Bavuma's unavailability has opened the door for Maharaj to captain South Africa, a lifelong dream for the left-arm spinner. He has led his domestic team, Dolphins, in seven matches and South Africa in seven ODIs and five T20Is and though it's unlikely he will ever do the job long-term, it reinforces his role as part of the leadership core. Maharaj will have a massive role to play in the subcontinent in this cycle and this series is a good tune-up.

9. Prenelan Subrayen

10 and 11. Corbin Bosch or Kwena Maphaka or Codi Yusuf

Zimbabwe, and especially Bulawayo, is known to be slow and low and difficult for pace bowlers so whoever South Africa pick can expect to be challenged. Corbin Bosch has played one Test and was part of the WTC final squad and is likely to play. He brings express pace (140kph plus) and will lengthen the batting line-up. Kwena Maphaka, who is 19 and also has a Test cap, offers the left-arm angle South Africa are missing with Jansen out but his workloads will have to be managed, especially as he is expected to feature heavily across formats. Codi Yusuf is certain to debut, and could play both matches, after a breakthrough home summer. He was joint-fifth in the first-class competition bowling charts and has taken 17 wickets in four matches for Durham in the County Championship, including two four-wicket hauls.