Proteas pace bowler Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the triangular series due to injury, along with left-armer Beuran Hendricks.

Philander, who was rested for the three-game ODI series against Zimbabwe, has sustained a hamstring strain and won’t be able to take part in the fixtures against Australia and Zimbabwe, while Hendricks hasn’t recovered from the back strain which ruled him out of the Zimbabwe series.

That means Kyle Abbott and Mthokozisi Shezi, who both took part in the recently concluded ODI series, will be retained in the squad. ‘Kyle impressed in the three matches he played against Zimbabwe while Mthokozisi, who also did well on his debut, is a like-for-like replacement for Beuran,’ CSA selection chief Andrew Hudson said on Thursday.

Rilee Rossouw, who ran himself out for a duck in his debut ODI on Thursday, also keeps his place, while Marchant de Lange, who took three wickets on his return to the Proteas ODI side, will return home.

Better news for the Proteas is that the pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel will rejoin the side as planned, leaving the Proteas as close to full strength as possible for the triangular series. Australia are bringing a full-strength squad too, with just Shane Watson (injury) and David Warner (paternity leave) missing out from their top players.

The series begins on Monday when Zimbabwe take on Australia, while South Africa play their first fixture next Wednesday, against Australia. All games will be played at the Harare Sports Club, with a standard starting time of 9:30am. The series will run until 6 September.

Proteas squad for Triangular ODI Series: AB de Villiers (c), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Rilee Rossouw, Mthokozisi Shezi, Dale Steyn.