He was first called up to the South African team in February 2006, as he made the squad for their Twenty20 International against Australia, but did not play.
In July, he was again selected, this time in a 14-man squad to tour Sri Lanka, but was not picked for the final eleven in the first Test.
UCBSA chief of selectors, Haroon Lorgat, said it was "very unlikely that he [would] play in the first Test."
The first was in the opening match of the 2004–05 Pro20 series, where the Eagles beat the Dolphins by 70 runs and Tshabalala took two wickets, both bowled, and ran out Hashim Amla; the second was in the final Standard Bank Cup game of the 2005–06 season, where Tshabalala took four for 24 in nine overs as the Eagles defended 225.
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