South Africa’s squads for June and July 2021’s tours of the West Indies and Ireland have been announced. Several players, selected relatively recently, have been omitted this time.
1. Faf du Plessis
Du Plessis has retired from Test cricket, but remains available for ODI and T20I selection. “The selection panel felt he was not required for this tour but that does not exclude him for selection for the T20 World Cup,” said Cricket South Africa convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang.
2. Migael Pretorius
Pretorius was added to the squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka late last year. He was also in the squad for the T20I series against Pakistan earlier this year.
3. AB de Villiers
Whether de Villiers will return to international cricket has been decided, finally. “Discussions with de Villiers have concluded with the batsman deciding once and for all, that his retirement will remain final,” read a brief statement from Cricket South Africa.
4. Pieter Malan
Malan is playing for Warwickshire in English county cricket. “He has played a lot of cricket in South Africa and I think he has been unlucky not to play more international cricket,” said Warwickshire director of cricket Paul Farbrace.
5. Kyle Abbott
Abbott, Simon Harmer and others are effectively back in the international reckoning. “To be quite honest‚ at the moment‚ it [a return to the national team] is not in my immediate view,” said Abbott earlier this year.
6. Chris Morris
Morris, as a late addition to the squad, was South Africa’s leading wicket-taker at the 2019 World Cup. He has not represented the Proteas since. “No-one will have a definitive right to play,” CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said of Morris, leg-spinner Imran Tahir and others earlier this year.
7. Glenton Stuurman
Stuurman debuted in the T20I series against Pakistan earlier this year. He bowled half of a four-over allotment and didn’t take a wicket. He has been named in the South Africa A squads for the one- and four-day matches against Zimbabwe A.
8. Ryan Rickelton
Rickelton, alongside seamer Nandre Burger and Okuhle Cele, also toured Pakistan with South Africa earlier this year. Unlike Stuurman and batsman Jacques Snyman, though, Rickelton, Burger and Cele were not afforded debuts.
9. Lutho Sipamla
Sipamla took 10 wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka at the start of last and beginning of this year. He has also collected nine T20I caps. He is going to Zimbabwe, not the West Indies or Ireland, though.