David Miller suffers injury weeks ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, long list of injured players becomes concern for South Africa

David Miller suffers injury weeks ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025, long list of injured players becomes concern for South Africa
David Miller of South Africa walks off after being dismissed during the 2nd ODI match between South Africa and Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on December 19, 2024 in Cape Town.

Story Highlights:

David Miller did not walk out to bat after the groin injury.

Lungi Ngidi has not made a convincing return to cricket as well.

South Africa are yet to name Anrich Nortje's replacement in Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

South Africa's senior middle-order batter David Miller on January 27 sustained a groin injury during the SA20 League clash between Paarl Royals and Durban Super Giants. In the 14th over, Miller tried to stop the ball after Marcus Stoinis found the gap. He couldn't save the boundary and suffered an injury.

Miller left the field immediately without assistance from Paarl Royals supports staff. However, he did not come out to bat in the run chase. In his absence, Royals won the lsat over thriller by four wickets. 

After the win, Miller gave an update on his injury in a conversation with SuperSport as he said, "My right groin is a little tight. It's just a little tweak. Tried to get off before it could get any worse."

Other injured players

Apart from Miller, another Paarl Royals player who is in South Africa's Champions Trophy squad is missing the action due to injury. Lungi Ngidi missed his fourth consecutive match. He has played three out of five games in the season so far. 

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Royals' coach Trevor Penney feels that Ngidi is on the right path and should return to the field soon. 

"With Lungi, we know big fast bowlers like him, they sometimes needed a couple of weeks to get back into that full flow and the rhythm. It's a tough thing for fast bowlers. He was out [with a groin injury] for like eight weeks. So he's on a programme where he's almost back now. So we played him in the first few games so he could get some game time. And I'm sure when we go to the Highveld, he's going to be straight back in," Penney said.

 

 

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Nortje's likely replacement injured too

Earlier, Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury. His replacement in the squad, Gerald Coetzee is yet to make his comeback. His likely replacement, Coetzee is not playing in the SA20 League either due to a hamstring injury. His last appearance in SA20 League was on January 14.

The deadline to make changes to the Champions Trophy squad is February 11. Rob Walter has an option to include young left-arm pacer Kwena Maphaka who made his ODI debut against Pakistan at home.