South Africa faces a major setback ahead of the Champions Trophy as fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out due to a back injury. Nortje, who hasn’t played international cricket since the T20 World Cup last June, was initially set to return for the white-ball series against Pakistan.
However, a toe injury sustained during practice delayed his comeback. He also missed the entire SA20 season with Pretoria Capitals and is now sidelined from South Africa's premier T20 tournament.
Cricket South Africa will soon announce Nortje's replacement, with Gerald Coetzee being the frontrunner. Coetzee recently returned to action for the Joburg Super Kings after recovering from a groin injury sustained in the Durban Test against Sri Lanka last November. South Africa's white-ball coach and selector Rob Walter initially chose Nortje over Coetzee for his experience, expressing confidence in Nortje’s fitness. However, scans conducted on Monday revealed that he won’t recover in time for the 50-over tournament.
This marks the third time Nortje has missed an ICC ODI event due to injury. He was sidelined from the 2019 World Cup with a broken thumb, the 2023 World Cup with a stress fracture in his back, and now the 2025 Champions Trophy.
While he has participated in three T20 World Cups (2021, 2022, and 2024), Nortje has opted out of a national contract to manage his workload. His last appearances in ODIs and Tests were in September and March 2023, respectively.
South Africa's fast-bowling department has faced numerous injuries this summer. While Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, and Wiaan Mulder have recovered, Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams remain sidelined for the season. Nortje’s absence adds to these challenges, leaving the team in a difficult position ahead of the tournament.