![South Africa senior players to skip New Zealand tour [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1771598215756_SouthAfrica.jpg?type=hq)
South Africa senior players to skip New Zealand tour [Source: @ProteasMenCSA/x]
CSA has announced a 15-player South Africa squad for their upcoming five-match men’s T20I series in New Zealand next month. Interestingly, the South African selection committee announced the squad in the middle of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
With the series taking place between the World Cup and the IPL 2026 season, several star attractions like captain Aiden Markram, in-form Quinton de Kock, David Miller among others have been dropped from the team. The committee selected as many as five uncapped Proteas cricketers, and named left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj as team captain for the tour.
Also Read- Will Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner Play For New Zealand In T20 World Cup Super 8?
Keshav Maharaj to lead young South Africa team in New Zealand
Keshav Maharaj has been appointed as South Africa’s national captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series in New Zealand. The 36-year-old will be replacing regular skipper Aiden Markram in the post-T20 World Cup series.
Backing Maharaj as new captain, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said “Keshav Maharaj has experience captaining the Proteas and has led two teams to the SA20 finals. His leadership and calm presence make him the ideal person to lead this group on this tour.”
The South Africa selection committee also picked up a relatively inexperienced squad for the tour, as the 15-player line-up features as many as five uncapped cricketers. Conrad confirmed that since the series will be taking place immediately after the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, several Proteas players will be flying back home.
Compatible to Shukri Conrad’s statement, only Keshav Maharaj, George Linde and Jason Smith will be travelling to New Zealand among South African players that are currently in India for the showpiece event.
Baartman and Gerald Coetzee return to South Africa squad
Fast bowlers Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee will be making their returns to the South Africa team after getting sidelined from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Tony de Zorzi will also be making his comeback as he was included in the 15-player Proteas group after recovering from his injury.
Players like Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Eathan Bosch and Nqobani Mokoena are the five uncapped cricketers the CSA committee has picked for the tour.
Mokoena, aged just 19, recently impressed one-and-all in SA20 2026 by picking up 13 wickets for the Paarl Royals franchise. Here is a look at the entire South Africa squad for the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand.
South Africa squad for T20I series vs New Zealand: Keshav Maharaj (c), Ottneil Baartman, Eathan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Nqobani Mokoena, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen and Jason Smith
IPL 2026 schedule likely reason for pull out
The five-match T20I series between Keshav Maharaj’s troops and hosts New Zealand will be taking place between March 15 and March 25. The aforementioned schedule means the series will kick off just a week after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026, and will conclude a day prior to the launch of the IPL 2026 season in India.
With several Proteas stars lined up to join their respective franchises in the IPL 2026 season, the scheduling overlap appears to have played a decisive role in shaping a youthful squad for the New Zealand tour.
Also Read- Abhishek Sharma Exposed: Bowlers Who Can Dismiss India Star In T20 World Cup Super 8
