Dale Steyn has been ruled out of Thursday’s World Cup opener between South Africa and England at The Oval. Ottis Gibson, South Africa’s coach, only went as far as saying “he’s getting closer.” The team management hopes he will be fit in time to play India on June 5.
“He is not fully ready yet and we feel that in a six-week tournament there is no need to press the issue right now,” Gibson said at a press conference after the team’s training session.
Steyn did train with the squad on Tuesday, but only jogged in to bowl off a very short run-up and with no real pace. He then walked off the field fairly early in the session though he did come out to bat later.
Steyn has not bowled in a game yet in England. He was in the 15 for the warm-up against West Indies but South Africa batted first before the game was rained off. He wasn’t in the line-up for the game against Sri Lanka.
Steyn has not bowled competitively since pulling out of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL campaign in late April, having played only two games there. That was because of an inflammation in his right shoulder, the same one in which he snapped a bone back in November 2016.
Steyn’s fitness and availability has been the subject of much scrutiny since he returned from India. He had already been named in South Africa’s World Cup squad at that point, on the back of a successful and uninterrupted home season.
But even until the day before the team’s departure for England, there was uncertainty about whether he would be in from the first game. “Whenever you’re reading about KG [Kagiso Rabada] and Dale going through injuries, as a South African it’s never nice to read that,” Aiden Markram said.
“But from what I’ve heard, they seem like they’re doing well and they’re on a good road to be fully recovered by the time the World Cup starts, or if not, at least within the first few games.”
If Steyn doesn’t play, South Africa will choose between Chris Morris and Dwayne Pretorius to complete a pace attack spearheaded by Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo.
More to follow
Source: ESPN Crickinfo