Dewald Brevis’ rise in South African cricket has hit a roadblock, with the national team management no longer viewing him as an all-conditions batter. Once regarded as one of the biggest young talents in Proteas cricket, Brevis is now outside South Africa’s plans for the upcoming Test series against Australia. South Africa are preparing to travel to Australia for a high-profile Test series that will have major significance in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Ahead of the tour, head coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that Brevis will not be selected for the Test matches.

Brevis first attracted worldwide attention with his aggressive batting in T20 cricket. His performances in franchise leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), showcased his ability to play attacking shots while also looking technically capable against quality bowling. However, his form and consistency have failed to match the expectations that followed his early success.

The middle-order batter gradually lost momentum and became less regular in the South Africa setup. With the team now preparing for conditions in Australia, Conrad believes there are other batters better suited to the demands of Test cricket in those conditions.

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Shukri Conrad suggested that Brevis’ batting is more effective on subcontinental pitches, where his natural attacking style can have a greater impact. The coach also indicated that Brevis could return to the South African squad for limited-overs cricket. “I don’t think he is one of the best batters in Test cricket for us. There are other guys in the squad for SA conditions. He is probably more suited to subcontinent conditions. In Test cricket, he is a bit like our Rafael Nadal, a clay court specialist,” Conrad said.

Brevis, 23, has played only four Tests since making his debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on June 28, 2025. He began his red-ball career with a half-century but was unable to maintain that level of performance and eventually slipped out of the Test side. His most recent Test appearance came against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on October 20, 2025. Since then, he has failed to establish himself as a regular in South Africa’s Test plans.

The Proteas have named an 18-man preliminary squad for the opening Test against Australia, with uncapped batter Marques Ackerman receiving an opportunity. Ackerman, like Brevis, has experience in T20 franchise cricket, but South Africa have opted to invest in his potential for the upcoming series.

Leus du Plooy is another batter pushing for a place in the Test squad. Having previously played domestic cricket in the United Kingdom, Du Plooy has expressed his ambition to represent South Africa at Test level. He boasts an impressive first-class record, averaging 48.55 across 255 innings, including 26 centuries.

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Shukri Conrad welcomed Du Plooy’s interest in returning to South African cricket and confirmed that discussions about his future would take place. “I am thrilled when players like Leus want to come back and play for South Africa. We must be doing things right – it is heartwarming. He can stake a claim. Have we been having conversations? Not leading up to his decision, but he reached out last week. It has been busy. Over the next day or so, we will be chatting about things going forward,” Conrad added.

With Australia presenting a vastly different challenge from the subcontinent, South Africa’s selection decisions suggest Brevis will need strong performances in limited-overs cricket to force his way back into the Test conversation.