South Africa, headed by Keshav Maharaj, has announced their starting XI for the first Test of a two-match series against Zimbabwe, which begins on Saturday, June 28 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. They went on to field three debutants in their squad: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, and Codi Yusuf.
Maharaj will head an inexperienced South African squad after full-time captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out due to a hamstring injury received during the final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship. Wiaan Mulder, who batted at No. 3 in the WTC final against Australia, is one of four pacers in the team.
🚨 TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
Captain Keshav Maharaj has confirmed the Starting XI for our Proteas Men ahead of tomorrow’s 1st Test against Zimbabwe 🏏🇿🇦.
A team ready to leave their mark in Bulawayo with flair and firepower 💪🔥.#WozaNawe pic.twitter.com/hvCSd0xkS0
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 27, 2025
Tony de Zorzi, who hadn’t played a Test since last year, returned to the XI. Mulder, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, and Maharaj are the only Proteas players who have played the previous Test against Australia.
This game is not part of the WTC’s current cycle. This will be South Africa’s first long-format match against Zimbabwe since December 2017. They last travelled to Zimbabwe to play a series against them eleven years ago.
Since December 2017, only three players (Maharaj, Craig Ervine, and Blessing Muzarabani) have participated in this series. The Proteas triumphed by an innings and 120 runs. It was a clash that lasted only a few days.
The entirety of the match saw only 498 runs being scored. Aiden Markram, who is amongst a whole lot of players to be rested by Cricket South Africa, received the Player of the Match award for his 125-run knock in the only innings his side played in Gqeberha.
South Africa’s Playing XI for First Test
Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka
India
