Rubin Hermann replaces injured Brevis for Pakistan ODIs

A sudden twist in South Africa’s tour of Pakistan. Dewald Brevis, the young star often called “Baby AB,” is out with a shoulder injury. In comes Rubin Hermann, a player many fans didn’t expect to see so soon on this stage. 

The North West Dragons batter brings solid List A numbers. 41 games, 1699 runs, an average just shy of 50. Six centuries. Six fifties. Those are serious stats. He’s not all flair either. There’s a calm to his game, something South Africa might need in these subcontinental conditions.

Cricket South Africa made it official on Wednesday, confirming Hermann’s inclusion for the rest of the series. “North West Dragons batter Rubin Hermann has been named as Dewald Brevis’ replacement for the remainder of the One-Day International series against Pakistan,” the board said in its statement.

As for Brevis, scans showed a low-grade shoulder strain. The injury isn’t serious but will keep him out of the ODI series. It happened during the third T20I at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium last week. He will remain in Pakistan with the medical team and aims to return before the Test tour of India.

Brevis’s short ODI career is still finding its rhythm. Six matches. 110 runs. A strike rate north of 150, but an average of just 22. He’s shown flashes, yet hasn’t quite settled. This break might actually help him reset. Fans know what he can do. They’ve seen those shots. When he returns, expect noise.

Hermann, meanwhile, steps into a tight series. Pakistan won the first match in Faisalabad after a hard-fought game on Tuesday. South Africa will need energy and focus to make a comeback. The crowd at Iqbal Stadium felt electric that night. Every wicket, every boundary, met with a roar. You could sense the players feeding off it.

For Hermann, it’s a golden window to announce himself. For South Africa, it’s a chance to level things before fatigue sets in.

Sometimes, cricket writes its own script. A late injury, a sudden call-up, and a name not everyone knows become the story. Hermann would love that ending.

South Africa squad for Pakistan ODIs:
Matthew Breetzke (c), Corbin Bosch, Rubin Hermann, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile.