Lungi Ngidi makes return along with Anrich Nortje as South Africa name their squad for the Champions Trophy.
Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje have been selected in South Africa’s ODI squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy after missing the entire home international season with injuries.
Ngidi was sidelined before the summer owing to a groin issue, and Nortje was scheduled to participate in the white-ball matches against Pakistan but was unable to do so due to a fractured toe. Since then, Ngidi has returned to action with the Paarl Royals in the SA20, while Nortje will play for the Pretoria Capitals in the upcoming weeks. Both players are healthy in preparation for a busy 2025 season. They will play their first international matches in seven and four months, respectively, at the Champions Trophy.
Ten of the 15 players in the squad, who will be captained by Temba Bavuma, were members of the team that advanced to the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinals in India. The most prominent absence, Gerald Coetzee, who has also suffered from injuries, will be replaced by Nortje, while the newcomers Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, and Ryan Rickelton will be participating in their first senior ICC event.
Following last year’s MLC, Coetzee was placed on a 12-week conditioning block. He returned at the beginning of the season, but he sustained a groin injury during the Durban Test match against Sri Lanka. Although he has not returned to play, he was a candidate for a Champions Trophy spot and is a member of the Johannesburg Super Kings team at the SA20.
White-ball coach Rob Walter explained the selection was a straight shootout between Nortje and Coetzee. “They both offer high pace but Anrich has a little bit more experience and potentially some attributes that will stand us in good stead in Pakistan,” Walter said from his home in New Zealand. “Gerald was a tough one because he’s ultimately done nothing wrong to not be selected.”
On Nortje, Walter elaborates, “”When he came back into the short format squads to play against Pakistan, he was bowling really quickly 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. Outside of that, he was super fit and super energised to be playing for South Africa again. And this was just one of those unfortunate circumstances. He’s an ultimate professional. He looks after himself, takes care of his conditioning. From my side, I trust him and trust that he’ll be ready to go.”
With no room for Andile Phehlukwayo, South Africa will have two specialist spinners, Aiden Markram’s offspin, and five frontline quicks: Nortje, Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Wiaan Mulder. South Africa “just didn’t feel the need for an extra spinner,” thus left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin is out, while Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have retained their spots.