Is Tony de Zorzi Out of England ODIs Due to Hamstring Injury?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tony de Zorzi is out of the ODI series with a hamstring injury.
- South Africa is managing multiple player injuries.
- No replacement has been announced for de Zorzi.
- Kagiso Rabada may not return until the T20I leg of the tour.
- Temba Bavuma is under a workload-management protocol.
Leeds, Sep 3 (NationPress) South Africa faced a significant challenge in their current ODI series versus England as Tony de Zorzi has been sidelined for the remainder of the three-match series due to a hamstring injury sustained during the first match held at Headingley, Leeds.
While fielding near the boundary, de Zorzi executed a diving attempt to intercept a shot from Jos Buttler. Although he successfully prevented the ball from reaching the boundary, he unfortunately injured his left hamstring in the process, compelling him to leave the field for medical attention.
He did not make a return to the match and was only available to bat if absolutely necessary; however, South Africa was pursuing a modest target of 132 runs and did not need his batting skills. He will now head back home to undergo scans to evaluate the extent of his injury.
No replacement batter has been announced for de Zorzi, who had been a reserve in the squad and played in place of Matthew Breetzke. Breetzke himself missed the final ODI in Australia and the first match in England due to a left hamstring strain but has since recovered. He is set to be available for selection in the second ODI scheduled for Thursday and is expected to reclaim his position at No. 4 in the batting lineup.
South Africa's squad is grappling with a host of injury uncertainties. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who was absent from the ODIs in Australia due to ankle inflammation, also did not play at Headingley. The addition of Codi Yusuf, who has been active in domestic cricket with Durham, indicates that Rabada may not rejoin the team until the T20I segment of the tour.
Another area of concern is captain Temba Bavuma, who remains under a workload-management protocol after experiencing a hamstring injury during the World Test Championship final in June. Bavuma participated in two out of three ODIs in Australia and the first ODI against England but is likely to be rested for one of the remaining matches to manage his fitness effectively.
Despite these injury challenges, South Africa is currently leading the series 1-0 and aims to strengthen their position in the upcoming second ODI.