Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of South Africa’s upcoming Test series against West Indies because of a side strain, which he picked up during the USA’s T20 franchise league, Major League Cricket (MLC). Migael Pretorius, uncapped at Test level but with the experience of 64 first-class games to his credit, comes in as Coetzee’s replacement.
Coetzee, playing for Texas Super Kings, returned home to undergo assessments on his injured left side by South Africa’s medical team. Cricket South Africa confirmed on Thursday that he was not passed fit to play the Test series, which begins on August 7.
Pretorius was last named in a South Africa squad in March 2021, for a T20I series against Pakistan, but he didn’t get a cap. He also got a national call-up in December 2020 for a Test series in Sri Lanka, but then injured his shoulder and could not debut.
In 64 first-class games, Pretorius, 29, has 188 wickets at 27.50. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for Somerset in this season’s English County Championship, with 23 wickets, albeit at an average of 39.43.
South Africa kick off the Test series in Port-of-Spain, before moving to Providence for the second Test. Three T20Is follow, from August 24 to 28.
Updated South Africa Test squad
Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne, Migael Pretorius.
