Dewald Brevis was dropped from the upcoming South Africa vs Australia series [Source: AFP]Explosive middle-order batter Dewald Brevis was left out of the South Africa squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. After a massive uproar, coach Shukri Conrad released a statement explaining the management’s mindset.South Africa will play a 3-game ODI series against Australia in the final week of September, and it will be a crucial competition for both sides to test out their 2027 World Cup plans.But the Proteas made a shocking call by leaving Dewald Brevis out of the Australia tour.Dewald Brevis not ruled out of World Cup plansAs South Africa dropped Dewald Brevis from the ODI squad for the Australia series, fans quickly assumed that the young batter may not be in the team’s plans for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup.However, head coach Shukri Conrad clarified that Brevis was not dropped but instead missed out due to rotation strategy. He explained that Dewald is less experienced and the Proteas needed a full-strength squad to face the Aussies."He (Brevis) competes for a spot in the middle order, and there he competes with Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller. Dewald will definitely get a crack during the Bangladesh series, and so will a few of the other guys, so that when the England series comes along, I'll have a really good idea of what that squad will start looking like. It's just about making sure everyone gets a fair crack at it," Conrad said.Conrad further added that doors are not closed for Dewald Brevis. He will be given a chance to play in the Namibia and Bangladesh series, as those matches will serve as an opportunity to assess him before getting closer to the 2027 ODI World Cup.Also Read - Kagiso Rabada Ruled Out Of Australia ODIs, Test Series In DoubtConrad stresses the importance of the England seriesInterestingly, Shukri Conrad dropped a huge hint that the ODI series against England, which is scheduled in January 2027, will be crucial as South Africa will field a shadow squad for the 2027 World Cup."We've got six ODIs before we play England. The England squad will be a shadow squad for the World Cup. We'll be closer to the World Cup squad, and it's just part of making sure that everybody gets a fair crack at it," he added.That means South Africa will be getting much closer to their preferred World Cup combination by that stage. Hence, Dewald Brevis has precisely two series to prove himself and make it to that England series.Of course, that task won’t be easy as he is competing against the likes of Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller. These players are highly skilled and experienced. But Dewald Brevis’ firepower can be his biggest strength.Dewald Brevis to sweat it out in domestic cricketMeanwhile, despite being left out of the Australia series, Dewald Brevis won't simply sit on the sidelines. After the Namibia ODI series concludes, he will feature in CSA first-class competition. CSA has instructed all players who are not part of the Australia tour to continue playing domestic cricket. This will help them prepare for future assignments. And for Dewald Brevis, playing consistent cricket is necessary. He has an average of 38 in first-class cricket and 43 in List A format. Even his ODI average is relatively low. Hence, he must improve those numbers and gain confidence ahead of the defining Bangladesh and England series.Also Read - Ishan Kishan Redemption Timeline: From Being Axed Mid-Test Tour To Calls For Inclusion In Test Team
