Coetzee was put on a 12-week conditioning block after last year’s Major League Cricket (MLC) and returned at the start of the season before suffering a groin injury in the Durban Test against Sri Lanka. He has not returned to play but is part of the Joburg Super Kings squad at the SA20 and was in contention for a Champions Trophy spot, after finishing as South Africa’s leading bowler at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Walter is also confident that Nortje, who has had a string of injuries over the last three years and opted out of a national contract in order to manage his workload, will remain fit for the upcoming months. “When he came back into the short format squads to play against Pakistan, he was bowling really quickly and was very excited to be back on the international stage,” Walter said. “Then, unfortunately, Dave Miller produced one of his best yorkers and hit him on the toe. Outside of that, he was super fit and super energised to be playing for South Africa again. And this was just one of those unfortunate circumstances. He’s an ultimate professional. He looks after himself, takes care of his conditioning. From my side, I trust him and trust that he’ll be ready to go.”
South Africa will have five frontline quicks in Nortje, Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder at their disposal – with no room for Andile Phehlukwayo – and two specialist spinners, along with Aiden Markram’s offspin. Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have kept their places but left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin misses out because South Africa “just didn’t feel the need for an extra spinner”.
“Temba and Tony have been at the top of the order and both done a really good job. There’s a potential for a few changes at the top of the order to give us a different balance of our side, which we may look into as we get closer to the tournament. A guy like Aidan Markram can be considered there in those two top spots. And obviously Rassie [van der Dussen] has been a stalwart at No.3. So we’re hesitant to change his position given the way he’s contributed there.”
Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs are two other top-order options ahead of a powerful middle-order of David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, all of whom are in action at the SA20. Bavuma and de Zorzi are the only two players in South Africa’s squad who are not contracted for the franchise T20 competition and so will not have that game time ahead of the Champions Trophy. They will, however, be part of South Africa’s squad that will travel to Pakistan for a short tri-series which precedes the event. The rest of the squad will be determined by which players are not involved in the SA20 final, which takes place on February 8. South Africa’s first match of the tri-series is scheduled on February 10.
The top two teams in group A and B will qualify for the semi-finals. The 2025 Champions Trophy begins on February 19 and will be played in Pakistan and the UAE. It is the first time the tournament is being played since 2017, and Pakistan are the current holders of the trophy.
South Africa’s Champions Trophy squad
Temba Bavuma (capt), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen
