South Africa’s young all-rounder Gerald Coetzee earned widespread praise for his brilliant all-round performance in the second T20I against India, catching the eye of former South African pacer Dale Steyn. Coetzee’s impressive efforts with both bat and ball have made him a potential IPL prospect ahead of the upcoming mega auction.
Steyn, known for his sharp insights, took to social media to highlight Coetzee’s standout performance. The 22-year-old showcased his bowling prowess by taking 1/25 from four overs, maintaining an economical rate while troubling the Indian batsmen with his pace. Later, Coetzee’s quick-fire 19 not out off just 9 balls, which included two fours and a six, helped South Africa chase down India’s modest target of 125 with an over to spare.
“Coetzee bowling gas, hitting HUGE sixes. If anything from this series, he’s getting some IPL attention,” Steyn tweeted, endorsing Coetzee for the IPL.
Coetzee was part of the Mumbai Indians squad in the 2024 IPL after being picked for INR 5 crore during the previous auction. Though he claimed 13 wickets in 10 matches, he didn’t get much opportunity to bat and was subsequently released by the franchise ahead of the upcoming auction.
In the match, Tristan Stubbs top-scored for South Africa with 47* off 41 balls, and alongside Coetzee, helped seal a three-wicket victory, leveling the series 1-1. India had posted a challenging 125, and while Varun Chakravarthy’s excellent 5/17 effort briefly gave India hope, the South Africans crossed the line with a 128/7 in 19 overs.
The third T20I will be played in Centurion on Wednesday, with both teams aiming to take the lead in the series.
