Veteran pacer Dale Steyn has been excluded from Cricket South Africa's national contracts for the 2020-21 season even as left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks was included in the 16-member list.
The 36-year-old Steyn had made a comeback this February after being laid low by 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.
Former skipper Faf du Plessis has also been offered a new contract by the board, suggesting he will be an important member of the team which has a busy summer, which includes home Tests against Sri Lanka and Australia.
"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."
CSA 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."
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
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content