Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has experienced a hamstring issue recently during the ongoing SA20 which has further depleted South Africa’s fast bowling stocks before the Champions Trophy 2025.
It is a big blow to South Africa as Coetzee was seen as a replacement for the experienced fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who was ruled out of the Champions Trophy with a back injury.
Gerald Coetzee wasn’t named in South Africa’s initial squad for the tournament with Anrich Nortje being preferred ahead of him. Both of them are similar kinds of bowlers and capable of hitting high speeds. However, the injuries to both of them will affect their team combination.
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Gerald Coetzee doubtful for Champions Trophy
Gerald Coetzee didn’t play for Joburg Super Kings in the match against Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. According to ESPNCricinfo, Coetzee has a hamstring issue and he is likely to be out of the tournament for a few weeks now which puts his Champions Trophy participation in serious doubt.
While his fitness is closely monitored, it remains unlikely that he can take any further part in SA20. The news of his injury is not official yet but it is believed that he has just returned from an injury and was expected to be included in the Playing XI for this match.
While he didn’t play this match, he played in Super Kings’ last match against Durban’s Super Giants played at Kingsmead, Durban. It was his first professional match since the Test match against Sri Lanka on the same ground where he suffered a groin injury.
As a result, he was ruled out of the whole international summer. He made his return through a match against Titans in October. He appeared to be fitter and quicker on return and also played all the T20Is against India. He took 4-85 in the first Test against Sri Lanka before being ruled out once more.
South Africa’s fast bowling reserves
South Africa’s white-ball head coach Rob Walter earlier revealed that Gerald Coetzee was in line for a place in South Africa’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. However, Nortje’s experience gave him the nod ahead of Coetzee.
If the 24-year-old quick somehow manages to be fit before the Champions Trophy, he is likely to travel to Pakistan for the tournament as a replacement for Anrich Nortje. If Coetzee is deemed unfit, South Africa will have to dig deep in its fast-bowling reserves.
Kwena Maphaka, Corbin Bosch, and Ottniel Baartman are some of the options who can be selected for the Champions Trophy. Maphaka recently impressed in his Test debut and is seen as the future of South Africa’s fast bowling after Kagiso Rabada.
Bosch recently made his ODI debut and is also a capable batter down the order. Meanwhile, Baartman has excellent death bowling skills making him a tempting option for the subcontinent.
South Africa’s schedule in Champions Trophy 2025
South Africa are in Group B of the Champions Trophy alongside England, Australia, and Afghanistan. They will begin their campaign with a match against Afghanistan on February 21 in Karachi.
The Proteas will then play Australia and England on February 25 and March 1 respectively. South Africa’s recent performance in the ICC tournaments has been impressive. They were the finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024 and have also managed to qualify for the World Test Championship Final where they will face Australia at Lord’s.