3 Players who can replace Heinrich Klaasen in all formats for South Africa

3 Players who can replace Heinrich Klaasen in all formats for South Africa (Photo source: X)

The South African cricket fraternity has been hit with shocking news as star wicketkeeper-batter and T20 World Cup 2024 finalist has announced his retirement from international cricket. The 33-year-old Pretoria-born cricketer has played several game-changing knocks during his career, which will be remembered by fans. His departure leaves the selectors with a tough task of finding the perfect replacement for a hard-hitting middle-order batter.

There are still some promising young players in the mix who could step up to fill Klaasen’s shoes within the South African squad, and it’s time to look at who those options could be. While some of them are still early in their careers, they’ve shown enough potential to earn a chance at the international level and prove their mettle on the biggest stage.

Here are top three players who could replace Heinrich Klaasen in South Africa squad: 3. Lhuan-dre Pretorius Lhuan-dre Pretorius. (Photo Source: SA20)

Among the many young talents making a mark, 19-year-old Potchefstroom-born wicketkeeper-batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius stands out. He has already delivered impressive performances across all three formats in domestic cricket, averaging 72.66 in first-class cricket, 44.38 in List A, and boasting a strike rate of 147.17 in his overall T20 career so far.

He was last seen representing the Paarl Royals in SA20 2025, where he scored 397 runs in 12 matches at an average of 33.08 and a strike rate of 166.80. These efforts made him the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Though still in the early stages of his career, he is certainly one to watch.

2. Matthew Breetzke Matthew Breetzke (Source: Fancode)

Another wicketkeeper-batter who has shown a lot of promise is Matthew Breetzke. The 26-year-old right-hander rose to prominence with a superb century in the tri-series that featured top sides like New Zealand and Pakistan. Breetzke also had a solid SA20 season in 2023–24, scoring 416 runs while representing the Durban Super Giants (DSG).

He has a consistent domestic record too, with over 3,417 runs in first-class cricket, 2,053 in List A, and 2,856 in T20s. These numbers put him firmly in the reckoning for a place in the national side.

1. David Bedingham David Bedingham. (Photo Source: X/Twitter)

While the other two players are still building their international credentials, David Bedingham brings more experience to the table. He has already featured in 12 Test matches for , scoring 645 runs at an average of 33.94, and his performances may well push the selectors to consider him in the shorter formats too.

Bedingham has an exceptional domestic record, having scored 8,348 runs at an average of 50.28 in first-class cricket and 1,868 runs at 43.44 in List A. His finest moment in international cricket came against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton, in February 2024, where he scored a sublime 110 off 141 deliveries.