Dale Steyn returns to South Africa ODI squad after two years
Saturday, 15 September 2018 (13:07 IST)
Cape Town: Fast bowler Dale Steyn, who last played a one-day international in
2016, will return to the fifty-over format for South Africa following a lengthy injury-enforced
break, while leg-spinner Imran Tahir too makes a comeback, Cricket South Africa announced
on Friday.
The uncapped Christiaan Jonker has also been named in the 16-man squad that will take
on Zimbabwe in the three-match ODI series from late September. Jonker had scored an
impressive 49 in his lone Twenty20 International match against India.
Steyn last played an ODI in October 2016. He has declared his intention to be in South
Africa's scheme of things for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, and this series will give him
a good chance to prove his worth, an ICC report today said.
Tahir, who was rested from South Africa's tour of Sri Lanka, makes a return following
steady performances in the Caribbean Premier League 2018. Batsman Khaya Zondo has
been included, while Quinton de Kock and David Miller have been rested with South Africa
keen to try a variety of options ahead of the Cricket World Cup next year.
"Faf continues to make a recovery from the shoulder injury he suffered in Sri Lanka,"
commented Dr Mohammed Moosajee, Proteas manager and team doctor. "It is a week
by week case and a call will be made in due course," he added.
"The selection of Christiaan Jonker is part of the ongoing process of our Vision 2019,"
commented CSA National Selection Panel (NSP) convener Linda Zondi. "He had an
outstanding debut in the T20 format against India and we want to see whether he can
convert that finishing form into the longer white-ball format as well."
"We have also recalled Khaya Zondo to the ODI squad as another part of the pool
broadening process. He had an outstanding quadrangular series for SA A in India
against high quality opposition, scoring our only century and having a strike rate of 95,"
Zondi said.
Faf du Plessis, who sustained a shoulder niggle during the recent tour of Sri Lanka, is
named in the squad but his participation is not entirely guaranteed as the captain is still
in recovery.For the T20Is, there are two new faces in Rassie van der Dussen and Gihahn Cloete, both batsmen, while Kagiso Rabada, the ace pace bowler, has been rested.
"
We still have ODI series after this one against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as
we get closer to finalising our likely World Cup squad," Zondi said. "We are resting Kagiso Rabada from the T20 series as he has a very busy season ahead," he said.
ODI squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Imran
Tahir, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan
