South Africa have handed the captaincy to left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin for their upcoming tour of Namibia, with the Proteas set to feature in a T20I tri-series involving Zimbabwe before playing three ODIs. The tour will give several fringe and emerging players an opportunity to strengthen their claims while key regulars are rested ahead of a demanding home season.

Bjorn Fortuin gets leadership opportunity

Fortuin will take charge in the absence of South Africa’s regular white-ball captains, Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma. Markram is being rested from the T20I assignments, while Bavuma has also been given time away from international cricket before the Proteas begin a packed home campaign.

The decision also reflects South Africa’s need to carefully manage workloads. The team is scheduled to play eight Tests during the upcoming home season, making it important to preserve several of their first-choice players. Fortuin, who has not represented South Africa since November 2025, will see the Namibia tour as an opportunity to revive his international career. The spinner has played 16 ODIs and 27 T20Is for the Proteas and is also approaching a significant domestic milestone, sitting just one appearance short of 300 white-ball matches.

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Several new faces included

The squad contains a blend of established players and promising youngsters. Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka are among the players who could potentially feature regularly in South Africa’s strongest white-ball XI and have been selected for the trip. There will also be a family reunion of sorts, with Duan Jansen receiving his maiden South Africa call-up. Marco Jansen‘s twin brother was named the One-Day Cup Player of the Year at the latest Cricket South Africa awards and now has the chance to make his international debut.

Eathan Bosch, brother of South Africa all-rounder Corbin Bosch, has also been rewarded with his first T20I call-up. Meanwhile, brothers Jordan Hermann and Rubin Hermann have both made the squad, adding another interesting family connection to the touring group. Wicketkeeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen and fast bowler Nqobani Mokoena have been included in the ODI squad for the first time.

South Africa have opted to leave several leading players at home. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco, Corbin and Keshav Maharaj are among the notable absentees, while Gerald Coetzee and Senuran Muthusamy have been assigned to the South Africa A squad for simultaneous matches against Bangladesh.

South Africa squad for Namibia tour: Bjorn Fortuin (c), Eathan Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, Duan Jansen, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Lutho Sipamla, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen

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