ZA Cricket

South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje has suffered yet another injury setback, this time a stress reaction in his back that will keep him out of action for an undetermined period. The 31-year-old was not considered for selection in South Africa’s T20I squad for the upcoming tri-series in Zimbabwe, nor did he travel to the United States to take part in Major League Cricket (MLC), where he was signed to play for the Los Angeles Knight Riders.

Nortje has only featured in two professional matches in 2025 so far, both during a brief stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. His absence from the national side continues a frustrating trend that has seen his career repeatedly interrupted by injuries.

South Africa’s red-ball coach Shukri Conrad confirmed the setback, expressing concern but stopping short of offering a timeline for Nortje’s return.

“We will have to see the length of the time that he will be out and the extent of the injury,” Conrad said. “I really feel for him. He is a superstar fast bowler and having to deal with setback after setback can’t be easy. We will wait to see how serious it is.”

“Naturally, we are worried. In Anrich’s case, this is the second or third stress reaction in his back. It is too early to make a diagnosis and we are definitely not drawing a line through his name. He is 31 years old and we are going to give him every chance to come back.”

Nortje has not been centrally contracted by Cricket South Africa (CSA) since opting out to focus on T20 franchise cricket. He last represented the Proteas at the 2024 T20 World Cup, and was unavailable for the subsequent Test assignments. His return to domestic competition was delayed by a fractured toe, which ruled him out of the T20Is against Pakistan, and a back injury later forced him to miss the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Despite travelling to India for the IPL, he played only two matches before his latest injury concern surfaced.

This isn’t the first time Nortje has endured long spells on the sidelines. He missed two full years of cricket between 2013 and 2015, and endured further absences between late 2018 and early 2019, and again between November 2021 and April 2022, largely due to recurring back and hip issues.

With the nature and severity of the current injury still under evaluation, CSA has not confirmed which formats Nortje may return to when fit.

For now, uncertainty hangs over the future of one of South Africa’s fastest and most exciting bowlers — a player whose career continues to be defined as much by his potential as by the physical toll of his craft.