In a significant setback for South Africa, fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy due to a back injury.
New Delhi: In a significant setback for South Africa, fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy due to a back injury.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed that the pacer underwent scans on Monday to assess the severity of the injury. Nortje missed Paarl Royals’ SA20 match against MI Cape Town on Wednesday and is expected to be out of action for an extended period.
CSA confirmed that the pacer is “not expected to recover in time” for the upcoming tournament. South Africa’s opening match is against Afghanistan in Karachi on February 21. While CSA has not announced a replacement yet, they assured that one will be named in due course.
South Africa had only unveiled their squad for the tournament on Monday, with Nortje being a key subject of discussion.
Injuries have plagued Nortje at crucial times throughout his career. After dealing with a stress fracture in his back in 2023, he has been on a break from red-ball cricket to focus on rebuilding his fitness. This injury had also kept him out of the recent ICC ODI event — the World Cup. He had missed the 2019 edition due to a broken thumb.
He displayed exceptional form during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and Barbados, while also impressing with his classic pace in franchise cricket.
Gerald Coetzee to be the likely replacement for Nortje:
As per Cricbuzz, pace all-rounder Gerald Coetzee is the leading candidate to replace Nortje in the squad. Coach Rob Walter had previously placed both players on equal footing when naming the squad.
“Gerald Coetzee played very well in the 2023 World Cup, but it was between him and Anrich Nortje. They offer high pace, both of them. Anrich has more experience and attributes that will stand us in good stead in Pakistan. Gerald has done nothing wrong to not be selected,” he had said.
Big trouble for KKR:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who secured Nortje as their pace leader for Rs 6.50 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, face a different challenge compared to the Proteas. KKR has long favored having an overseas fast bowler spearheading their attack, a role Mitchell Starc performed exceptionally well in the previous season.
If Nortje’s injury also sidelines him for the IPL, which kicks off in March, the defending champions will be hoping that Australia’s left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson and Umran Malik step up for them in 2025.
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