National convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang has explained why Faf du Plessis remains ineligible for Proteas selection while another ‘free agent’ Rilee Rossouw can be picked.

Rossouw is set to play for the Proteas for the first time since 2016 having been included in the T20I squad for the three-match series in England in July.

The 32-year-old is currently excelling for Somerset in England’s T20 Blast, having scored 503 runs in 13 matches at an average of 50.30 and a strike rate of 189.09.

Du Plessis captained the Royal Challengers Bangalore in this year’s IPL. The 37-year-old opener made 468 runs in 16 innings at an average of 31.20 and a strike rate of 127.52, including three-half centuries. His best performance came in a win against the Lucknow Super Giants when he equalled his highest IPL score of 96.

That campaign led to calls for Du Plessis’ return to the Proteas’ T20 team, who he last represented in 2020.

However, that is not possible under CSA’s current selection criteria.

Mpitsang explained to Rapport newspaper that Rossouw is eligible for national selection because he is attached to a South African provincial union (the Free State Knights), while Du Plessis is not.

“We have a very clear policy that outlines the availability of non-contracted players,” Mpitsang said, referring to a selection document that states that a player who is not nationally contracted “must play for a South African professional team, or be available to play for such a team immediately before for the Proteas ”.

Rossouw has indicated that he wants to play for Free State during the 2022-23 domestic season as well as in CSA’s new T20 franchise tournament.

As a result, the national selectors have not spoken to Du Plessis this year about the possibility of rejoining the Proteas’ T20 setup.