Proteas select five uncapped players for two-match Test series in Zimbabwe

Among the new faces are batting duo Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Lesego Senokwane, both of whom have received their maiden call-ups to the national setup. They are joined in the squad by another first-timer in fast bowler Codi Yusuf.

The other uncapped players in the group are batter Dewald Brevis, the second-highest run-scorer in the domestic first-class competition this past season, and spinner Prenelan Subrayen, though both have previously toured with the Proteas senior side.

At just 19, left-handed batter Pretorius enjoyed a breakout season in the domestic CSA 4-Day series. He struck three hundreds in five first-class games at an impressive average of 72.66, including a crucial 114 in the final that helped secure a hard-fought draw for the Titans against the Lions.

Senokwane also impressed with the bat, amassing 559 runs with two centuries to his name. Both players also recently made their South Africa A debuts against West Indies A.

Yusuf, meanwhile, has been a standout performer for the Lions. The right-arm seamer claimed 23 wickets at an average of 22.39, playing a pivotal role in guiding his side to a second successive appearance in the 4-Day series final.

Earlier this week, Subrayen's form was on full display in SA A's four-day win over West Indies A, where he delivered with both bat and ball, scoring an unbeaten half-century and picking up a five-fer.

The squad also sees the recall of Lions batter Zubayr Hamza, marking his return since his last appearance against New Zealand in February last year.

Test captain Temba Bavuma will lead the group that will miss several players including Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs, who have all been rested for the series.

Conrad said: "We've opted to rest some players to manage their workload ahead of a busy season. We've been closely monitoring performances in domestic cricket, and it's great to see players like Lhuan-dre, Lesego, and Codi breaking through.

"Dewald deserves a lot of credit for how he has progressed over the past 12 months. He's shown real growth and maturity in the longer format, and it's encouraging to see him evolving into a more complete cricketer.

"Prenelan has earned his spot through consistent performances and offers us a lot with his all-round skills.

"This tour provides the ideal platform to expose them to the demands of Test cricket and see how they respond. It's also our first tour to Zimbabwe since 2014, so we're really looking forward to heading over there later this month."

Fast bowling trio Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams were not considered for selection as they ease back into action following long-term injuries.

Conrad added: "Nandre has been given the all-clear by the medical team to play T20s. The plan is to ease him back into the game, starting with the shortest format, and then slowly work him up to the longer formats.

"We'll be keeping a close eye on how he handles the workload as he builds toward playing Test cricket again.

"With Gerald, it's part of a bigger plan to help him better handle the physical demands of red-ball cricket. The idea is to give him the best chance to avoid a recurrence of the injuries that have kept him out of Test cricket since the tour against Sri Lanka.

"His recent performances in T20s have been really encouraging, but the focus is on his long-term growth and ensuring he stays fit across all formats.

"Lizaad is progressing well and is currently in the final phase of his rehabilitation from his knee surgery."

Proteas Test squad to tour Zimbabwe: Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Lesego Senokwane, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne, Codi Yusuf