Steyn gun has been excluded from Cricket South Africa's national contract list for the 2020-21 season instead left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks was included in the 16-member list.


Dale Steyn left out of CSA's Contract list
Dale Steyn left out of CSA's Contract list


Steyn made a comeback this February after being away from international cricket due to injury in the last three years, hoping to be a part of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia in October.

The South African board, however, showed faith in the young players, awarding contract upgrades to young fast bowler Anrich Nortje, all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius and batsman Rassie van der Dussen who played more matches last season.

Skipper Faf du Plessis has also been offered a new contract by the board, as he will be an important member of the team which has a busy summer this year, which includes home Tests against Sri Lanka and Australia.

CSA contracted men's players: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

Contracted women's players: Trisha Chetty, Nadine de Klerk, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt.

"We have contracted 16 men's players and 14 women's players which we feel is the appropriate number to maintain our national squads across the formats," CSA Acting Chief Executive Dr Jacques Faul said in a statement on Monday.

"This enables us to contract both our Test players as well as those who are limited overs specialists." he added. 

South Africa also has a T20 series scheduled against India at home and away tours to West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Paul further said, "those players performing and selected for the Proteas during the 2020/21 season and who are not contracted can qualify for a National Contract upgrade."