Coetzee was placed on a 12-week conditioning block after last year’s Major League Cricket (MLC) and returned early in 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 in 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 struggled with injuries over the past three years and has been out of national contracts to manage his workload, will remain fit in the coming months. “When he came back into the shorter format team to play against Pakistan, he was bowling really fast 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. Plus, he was super fit and super energetic to play for South Africa again. And it was those unfortunate That was one of the circumstances. He takes care of himself, takes care of his conditioning, I have confidence in him and he will be ready to go.”
South Africa will have five frontline fast bowlers in Nortje, Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Wian Mulder – no room for Andile Phehlukwayo – and two specialist spinners, along with the offspin of Aiden Markram. Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi retained their places but left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuyn missed out as South Africa “did not feel the need for an additional spinner”.
“Temba and Tony have been at the top of the order and both have done a really good job. There are likely to be some changes at the top of the order to give us a different balance in our side, which we can look at as we get closer to the tournament. Someone like Aiden Markram can be considered for those top two spots. [van der Dussen] There has been a legendary player at number 3. So given the way he has contributed there, we are hesitant to change his status.”
Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs are the two other top-order options ahead of the powerful middle-order of David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, who have all been in action in SA20. Bavuma and De Zorzi are the only two players in South Africa’s squad who have not been contracted for the franchise T20 competition and therefore will not have game time ahead of the Champions Trophy. However, he will be part of the South African team that will travel to Pakistan for a short tri-series before the event. The rest of the squad will be determined based on which players are not included in the SA20 final on February 8. South Africa’s first match of the triangular series is to be played on 10 February.
The top two teams in Groups A and B will qualify for the semi-finals. The 2025 Champions Trophy will begin on February 19 and will be played in Pakistan and UAE. The tournament is being played for the first time since 2017, and Pakistan is the current holder of the trophy.
South Africa’s Champions Trophy team
Temba Bavuma (captain), 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.
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