South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn will miss the upcoming Test series in England as he continues his rehabilitation after a shoulder surgery.
The 33-year-old bowler, who last played in Perth against Australia last November, was set to play for South Africa A and prove his fitness ahead of the team selection for the four-Test series in England, but has now opted out of it.
“My recovery is going well but it is taking a little longer than I expected it to. I am able to do a lot of things, like running, hiking and gym work, but bowling is not one of them, and I won’t be ready in time,” Steyn said at the CSA Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday (May 13).
Steyn had broken a bone in his shoulder during the Perth Test and was expected to be out for close to six months. However, the recovery and rehabilitation is taking a lot longer, but Steyn reckons he needs to remain patient. “We have to understand that fast bowling is not something normal people do, so it’s going to take time. Normal people do things mostly below the shoulder line; it’s unusual to have something above the line except for things like bowling and tennis. I just have to be patient,” Steyn said.
With England tour out of question, Steyn is now targetting South Africa’s home series against Bangladesh in September-October. The pacer, who will turn 34 in June, is mindful of the fact that he needs to get some game time – perhaps with the A side – before putting himself in line for a Test comeback. Steyn also joked about the prospects of featuring in the English county.
“Obviously, one of the reasons for me playing with the A side was so that I could get some match fitness before the Tests. So, before that Bangladesh series, I will need to play a bit. In a way it could be quite funny – South Africa will be playing a Test series in England and maybe at some ground down the road, Dale Steyn will be playing for another team,” Steyn said.
South Africa play three ODIs (from May 27) in England as a pre-cursor to the Champions Trophy, and resume the tour after the end of the showpiece event. From June 21, the two sides will take on each other in three T20Is before the Test series from July 6.
