After being excluded from South Africa's T20I squad for the upcoming series against India, pacer Dale Steyn took a jibe at Cricket South Africa's (CSA) selectors, saying he made himself available for selection, but the selectors missed his number.
Steyn replied to a tweet from one Neil Manthorp. "Interesting 'footnote' at the end of CSA's squad announcement for T20Is and Tests vs India... "Chris Morris did not make himself available for selection," Manthorp wrote.
Dale Steyn. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images via Reuters"I did. Obviously lost my number in the reshuffling of the coaching staff," Steyn responded to the tweet in a sly dig at the selectors.
To Steyn's tweet, the user replied that the selectors might be saving him for the big games.
The 36-year-old Steyn once again came back with a quirky reply saying: "Apologies to Virat and a billion people for thinking they not".
Steyn had announced his retirement from the red-ball cricket with immediate effect on August 5. He had termed the format as the ultimate form of the game but, in explaining his decision, Steyn said it was in the best interest of prolonging his career.
He will continue to play the limited-overs format of the game.
The fast bowler represented South Africa in 93 Tests and took 439 wickets at an average of 22.95. Steyn is the leading wicket-taker for his nation in the longest format as he went past Shaun Pollock earlier this year.
Steyn's appearance at the recent ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 was short-lived as he was ruled out during the tournament owing to a shoulder injury.
CSA on Tuesday had announced their squad for the upcoming tour of India.
Three uncapped players were named in their Test squad including fast bowler Anrich Nortje, spin bowling all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy and wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Seconds.
Pacer Chris Morris was not named in the squad as he made himself unavailable for the T20I series
Selectors also named three newcomers in the squad for the three-match T20I series, including Temba Bavuma and spin bowling all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin as well as Nortje.
Quinton de Kock will captain the T20 squad with Rassie van der Dussen as vice-captain while Temba Bavuma will be the vice-captain to Faf du Plessis in the Test match squad.
South Africa will tour India to play three T20Is and three Test matches in September.
The first T20I will be played at Dharmshala on September 15.
