South African youngster Dewald Brevis received his first call-up to the Proteas Test squad on Friday (October 11), following an injury to captain Temba Bavuma.
Ten days ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur, Cricket South Africa announced that Bavuma had suffered a left tricep muscle strain, and would not be able to take part in the match.
Aiden Markram will take over as captain in Bavuma's absence, and 21-year-old batter Dewald Brevis has received his first call-up to the senior red-ball side as cover.
Dewald Brevis receives maiden Test call following Bavuma injury
Brevis first burst onto the world stage at the 2022 U19 World Cup in the West Indies as he racked up scores of 65, 104, 96, 97, 6 and 138 in his six innings in the tournament. He was named Player of the Tournament, and his tally of 506 runs broke Shikhar Dhawan's record for the most in a single edition of the tournament.
Later that year, Brevis stole the limelight once again, as he smashed the joint-third highest individual score in a T20 innings, with 162 off just 57 balls for Titans against Knights in the CSA T20 Challenge. He also played seven IPL matches for Mumbai Indians that year, and three more in 2024.
Read more: Dewald Brevis: 'I want to be the best cricketer that has ever lived'
He made his T20I debut in 2023, playing twice against Australia but managing to score just five runs. Brevis toured Sri Lanka with South Africa's 'A' side in June 2023, and played against the same opposition in August this year, at home. He is currently in action in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Brevis' brief first-class career so far has been solid, if not quite spectacular yet. He has managed 749 runs in 12 matches, averaging 37 while also chipping in with nine wickets, including one four-wicket haul.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | |
| First-Class | 12 | 749 | 37.5 | 68.6 |
| List A | 17 | 667 | 41.7 | 95.7 |
| T20 | 70 | 1496 | 24.1 | 139.2 |
Lungi Ngidi replaces Nandre Burger for Bangladesh Tests
The other change made to South Africa's squad was also due to injury, as fast bowler Nandre Burger has suffered a lumbar stress fracture. Lungi Ngidi has been called up in his place.
South Africa Test squad for tour of Bangladesh: Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.
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