Van der Dussen to Captain South Africa in Zimbabwe Tri-Series; Nortje Ruled Out with Injury

South Africa Announces Squad for Zimbabwe Tri-Series: Van der Dussen to Captain, Nortje Absent

South Africa has named their squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe, featuring the return of Rassie van der Dussen, Nandre Burger, and Gerald Coetzee. Lhuan-dre Pretorius receives his first call-up, while Corbin Bosch, Rubin Hermann, and Senuran Muthusamy are also included in the squad. However, Anrich Nortje's name is missing due to injury concerns.

Nortje - who had been pencilled in to play in the tri-series - wasn't considered because of a stress-related back problem © Getty

Van der Dussen last represented South Africa in March, while Burger and Coetzee featured in August and November respectively. Pretorius, Bosch, Hermann, and Muthusamy are all in line to make their T20I debuts. This series marks Shukri Conrad's first assignment as the full-time white-ball coach, having taken over from Rob Walter in May. Walter, who previously coached New Zealand, will be an interesting presence in the opposition dugout.

"I look forward to catching up with Rob," Conrad said. "He's got valuable insights into our squad, which makes the tri-series all the more spicy."

Van der Dussen will captain the side in the absence of Aiden Markram, who is among several senior players rested, including Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs.

Conrad emphasized his desire to have South Africa's best players available whenever possible, acknowledging the challenges posed by the modern game's congested schedule. The decision to rest key players for this series reflects the need to manage workload and prevent burnout.

"The all-format players had Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home, then they had the SA20, then they went straight into an IPL. Their last few months have been chock-a-block," Conrad explained. "We felt it was the best thing for them to freshen up."

While Burger and Coetzee return from injury, Nortje's absence due to a stress-related back problem is a significant blow. This latest setback raises concerns about the long-term future of the express fast bowler.

"It's the second or third stress reaction in his back," Conrad stated. "So of course it's something to be concerned about. We're definitely not going to draw a line through his name. He's only 31, and we're going to give him every chance to get back on his feet and fight back."

Nortje, who last played for South Africa in June 2024, has featured in less than 40% of the matches he could have played since his debut in 2019, largely due to injuries and his focus on franchise cricket.

On a brighter note, Lhuan-dre Pretorius's inclusion is a recognition of his impressive performances in domestic cricket and youth tournaments. "He's a special breed, the type of player who announces themselves on the biggest stage," Conrad said. "He did really well in the under-19 World Cup and he debuted in the SA20 and was phenomenal."

Pretorius was South Africa's highest run-scorer at the 2023 under-19 World Cup and this year's SA20. He also scored centuries on his first-class debut and in the final for the Titans.