THE Proteas have reverted from their customary playing XI reveal on the eve of the match, but all signs point to Dewald Brevis being handed an ODI debut against Australia in the series opener in Cairns on Tuesday.
Brevis was the Proteas’ standout performer during the preceding T20I’s with the 22-year-old enjoying a breakout international series.
The youngster smashed a 41-ball century in Darwin and a half-century in Cairns and has everyone Down Under salivating at his clean-ball striking.
Captain Temba Bavuma was keen to see Brevis transfer this form to the longer white-ball format.
“I think it’s always exciting when you see the young faces,” Bavuma said at the pre-match media engagement.
“Obviously, the big talker guy like Brevis, you know, putting up his hand and showing what he’s what he’s capable of.
“So, again, excited to see what he can also bring within the one-day stuff and all the other guys.”
Bavuma hasn’t played since the glorious day on June 14 at Lord’s when he led the Proteas to the World Test Championship final success at Lord’s.
The skipper, of course, sustained a hamstring injury during his second innings heroics and missed the subsequent Test tour of Zimbabwe.
The 35-year-old, though, was inundated with various media and sponsor obligations upon the Proteas’ return, which included a visit to his childhood neighbourhood Langa in Cape Town to present the golden WTC mace to his hometown.
He feels this has refreshed not only the body, but also the mind ahead of resumption of battles with Australia.
“Yeah, it’s been a bit busy back home,” Bavuma said. “Kind of just getting accustomed, I guess, to all the appreciation and how, I guess, things have been a bit different.
“Also had some time to just be away from the game, get the body strong again. It feels good. I guess it’s a case of just keep looking after it a lot more rehab than I usually do.
“Always good to be in Australia again. Yeah, quite looking forward to the next couple of days. raring to go, looking forward to the games ahead. Everything feels good.”
An in-form youngster has been added to South Africa’s squad ahead of the three-match ODI series against Australia 🙌
Details 👇https://t.co/Ti6GMujRiC
— ICC (@ICC) August 18, 2025
Bavuma confirmed that he will bat at No 3 during the series with the Proteas continuing with Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton at the top of the order.
The skipper is comfortable at first-drop, but feels the unfamiliar conditions in Cairns will be a greater adaptation.
“We’ve never been to this part of the world. So nice, again, to get to explore a different part of Australia. Also a bit different, I think my experience of playing in Australia this time of the year is in our A-series. That’s a couple of years ago,” he said.
“So here specifically, the guys say the wicket is a little bit more on the slower side. But again, I think like everything, we just try to adapt.
“We just try to assess and adapt on the day and try to play the best cricket that is required for those conditions.
“I had a look at the wicket. I had a look at the field, but it was bigger than what I’m accustomed to.
“So probably a lot of running from my side. But yeah, it looked like a good wicket out there. Good game of cricket in that last T20 game.”
The Proteas have also added paceman Kwena Maphaka to the ODI squad after the teenager was the leading wicket-taker in the T20I series with 9 wickets.
FULL ODI SQUADS
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Adam Zampa.
Start: 6:30am (SA time), TV: SuperSport
