Fortuin to lead depleted Proteas squad on tour of Namibia

Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin will captain a much-changed South Africa squad on tour to Namibia, where the side will contest a T20I tri-series also featuring Zimbabwe, followed by three ODIs, kicking off a packed home summer that includes eight Tests. 

Regular captains Aiden Markram (T20I) and Temba Bavuma (ODI) have both been rested ahead of the home season, and the frontline pace attack of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj has also been left out of the touring party.

Of what would be considered South Africa's first-choice squad, only Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka have been retained for the series.

There are several notable inclusions. Duan Jansen, twin brother of Marco Jansen and the recent CSA One-Day Cup Player of the Year, earns his maiden call-up, while Eathan Bosch, brother of Corbin Bosch and already a one-cap ODI international, has been named in the T20I squad for the first time. 

Brothers Jordan and Rubin Hermann, who play for Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Paarl Royals respectively, have both been included, as have wicketkeeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen and fast bowler Nqobani Mokoena, both handed their first ODI call-ups.

South Africa's all-format coach, Shukri Conrad, said the tour offered fresh opportunities to players who had impressed either at franchise level or in an earlier T20I series against New Zealand, and singled out Duan Jansen as a quality all-rounder who had shown strong character for the Titans this past domestic season.

Marco Jansen remains the squad's only genuine seam-bowling allrounder, in a group that also includes capped batters Tony de Zorzi and Jason Smith, and experienced bowlers Lutho Sipamla and Prenelan Subrayen. 

Gerald Coetzee and Senuran Muthusamy have both been left out, instead named in South Africa's A side, who will play Bangladesh in four-day and one-day fixtures over the same period, a sign both are being groomed for Test selection later in the season.

Fortuin, who is one short of 300 domestic white-ball caps, has not featured in international cricket since November 2025, and the tour represents a chance to revive an international career that has so far brought 16 ODI and 27 T20I appearances. Conrad described him as an experienced player and proven leader, pointing to his captaincy record with the Lions as justification for the appointment.

South Africa face a demanding workload management challenge over the coming eight months, with home series against Australia, Bangladesh and England on the schedule, followed by the SA20 and an away tour of Sri Lanka. The Namibia leg was a late addition to the calendar, announced only last week, as southern African cricket boards look to strengthen regional ties ahead of next year's men's ODI World Cup. Conrad said the tour, which includes the first-ever ODI series between South Africa and Namibia, carried added significance in that context.

South Africa men's squad for the Namibia tour:

Bjorn Fortuin (captain), 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