Courtesy: CSA
Gerald Coetzee, the South African pacer, is doubtful to play in the second Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka at the St George’s Park from Thursday, December 5 onwards, due to a groin issue. The 24-year-old, who picked up four wickets in the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Kingsmead in Durban during South Africa’s thumping win by 233 runs, felt pain in his groin on day four of the contest, for which he was treated and strapped by the team’s physio.
In a report from Cricbuzz, the South African head coach Shukri Conrad spoke to the press after the conclusion of the first Test match about the latest on Gerald Coetzee’s fitness. He also revealed that the South African pacer will undergo a scan on his groin tomorrow to find out the severity of his problem after it was tended to by Sizwe Hadebe, the physiotherapist of the team.
We'll see what comes back tomorrow from the scan: South Africa head coach on Gerald Coetzee
Notably, after Gerald Coetzee complained about some pain in his groin area during lunch time on day four, the South African team management had asked him to bowl in the middle, which he managed to do. With his participation in the second Test match against Sri Lanka in doubt, South Africa might have to replace him with Dane Peterson as their fast bowling stocks are depleted currently with injuries to Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger.
Shukri Conrad alluded to the growing list of injured players in the South African ranks, but at the same time, he hoped to manage the situation. He was also quoted as saying about Gerald Coetzee’s fitness, “We'll see what comes back tomorrow from the scan and whether it would be a risk because it's a quick turnaround. Thankfully, we've got a day off tomorrow. But we'll have to see how the guys pull up and then look at conditions and see if we need to beef up the squad.”
