His last T20I appearance came against Pakistan in 2024.
South African finisher David Miller was initially named as the stand-in captain for the three T20Is in Pakistan, as the usual skipper Aiden Markram was rested for the tour. However, in Miller’s absence, all-rounder Donovan Ferreira will take up the leadership responsibilities for the series, starting on October 28.
The Proteas batter, unfortunately, picked up a grade-1 right hamstring strain while preparing for the 20-over rubber. This has sidelined him from participating in the upcoming white-ball series of South Africa. Besides Miller, two Proteas seamers, Kwena Maphaka and Gerald Coetzee, have also been ruled out of the Pakistan fixtures due to respective injuries.
The management has revealed that the player is currently undergoing a phased rehabilitation program for recovery. This has opened the door for Ferreira to once again don the skipper’s hat. The 27-year-old’s maiden outing as the captain of South Africa did not turn out to be a memorable one. He was elected to lead the side in their first-ever match against Namibia.
But the developing cricketing nation registered a huge upset to defeat the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 runners-up in their only contest two weeks back. While a stunning bowling effort from the hosts had restricted the Proteas to a sub-par 134/8, skipper Ferreira also went back to the pavilion for a single-digit score (4).
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Notably, the T20I series in Pakistan was set to be the 36-year-old’s maiden appearance in the format since December 2024. His latest T20I fixture was also against the same opponents at home, where he had scored a smashing 40-ball 82, at a blazing strike rate of 205.
But earlier, Miller had an average outing in the T20 World Cup 2024. He managed to put up 169 runs in nine matches, at a below-par strike rate of only 102.42. Moreover, despite being at the crease for 21 runs off 16 deliveries, he failed to chase the reachable target against India in the tournament’s final.
The fans would hope him to be back in the South African squad for the T20Is against India. The player has recently signed a hybrid contract with the board, which allows him to participate in limited bilateral fixtures and ICC events, to be flexible for the various T20 leagues around the globe. However, the five-match encounter facing the Men in Blue will kickoff on December 9 in Cuttack.
Donovan Ferreira (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (WK), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams, Tony de Zorzi, and Matthew Breetzke.
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