Johannesburg [South Africa], November 13 : South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad has provided a fitness update on pacer Anrich Nortje ahead of the home Test series against Bangladesh, saying that the pacer will "definitely" be in contention to play one of the two Test matches and that he has recovered well from a groin injury sustained during the Tests against Australia at home. 
Nortje injured his groin during the second Test of the recently completed three-game series at home against Australia, and the right-armer has recently returned to training ahead of the opening match of the Bangladesh series that commences in Johannesburg on Sunday.
While Conrad admitted that the first Test probably comes too soon for Nortje to feature in, the South Africa coach expects to have the tall 32-year-old available for the second contest with Bangladesh at Centurion from November 23.
"He went for the scan at St George's during the Test match, and it revealed nothing sinister. It was not as bad as initially anticipated and did not require anything out of the ordinary either, just a little bit of rest and then some rehab," Conrad said, as quoted by the ICC.
"He will definitely be in the frame for one of the Test matches here, possibly the second one. From a medical point of view, there was nothing wrong, and he has recovered well. He's started training early enough. He is building up his loads as we speak, and he should be good to go by the second Test," added the coach. 
South Africa have a strong pace attack to consider with Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Dane Paterson, Wiaan Mulder and Corbin Bosch all in the 15-player squad for the Bangladesh series, with Conrad ruling out the potential of the Proteas not including a spinner in their bowling attack for the series opener.
Conrad also indicated he was still tossing up whether to utilise Tony de Zorzi or Zubayr Hamza in the crucial number three batting position against Bangladesh, with the duo in line to replace David Bedingham after he was dropped at the end of the Australia series despite the fact the Proteas won the series to move up to second place on the World Test Championship standings.
“We have tried a few players in that number three spot; David was the last one. The last thing I want to do is create...what would look like from the outside...as if it is a bit of a revolving door in the number position. It definitely is not that,” Conrad said.
“I want to settle the batting order… I have heard the word 'ruthless' being bandied about because it looks like we are giving guys two or three opportunities and — if they do not succeed — out, and that is definitely not the case."
“Sometimes you have just got to get the best players in the side first. We are going to give these guys a good run now, do not want to be chopping and changing after every series, so I will be very surprised if the batting top seven changes between now and the end of the English tour (start of 2027)," he signed off. 
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton 
Series Schedule:
First Test: 15-19 November, Johannesburg
Second Test: 23-27 November, Centurion.