White-ball superstar Heinrich Klaasen has not been awarded a central contract by Cricket South Africa for the 2025-26 season. Here's why this might be the case.
On Monday (April 7), the CSA confirmed a list of 20 men's players that had been awarded contracts for the 2025-26 season. Five of these were first-timers – David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Senuran Muthusamy, Lizaad Williams, and Kwena Maphaka.
Conspicuous by his absence though, was Heinrich Klaasen. Klaasen has made a name for himself as one of the most destructive T20 batters in the world, with an equally healthy record in ODI cricket – recently reeling off five consecutive half-centuries in the format.
He retired from Test cricket in January 2024, at the time saying it was a difficult decision to make as it was "by far my favourite format of the game", despite reports that South Africa red-ball coach Shukri Conrad considered Klaasen very much part of the team's plans. The wicketkeeper has played just four Tests since his debut in 2019.
Reports have also stated that the CSA remain in negotiations with Klaasen over his international future, meaning there could remain the possibility of him being included at some point.
Heinrich Klaasen not named in SA hybrid contract list
There has been a recent spate of players not committing fully to the central contracts of their home boards – the highest profile of these being the New Zealand trio of Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Kane Williamson. Allen is now not contracted to New Zealand Cricket at all, while Conway and Williamson have signed 'casual contracts' which allow them more flexibility with regard to international commitments.
The motivating factor for all three players, though, is thought to be the opportunity to participate more in franchise T20 leagues, without having a binding obligation to international cricket.
Since his Test retirement, Klaasen has played in Major League Cricket and the IPL – in addition to T20 internationals, the CSA T20 Challenge and SA20. Through his career, he has also played the Caribbean Premier League and is set to play in The Hundred later this year, for the Manchester Originals.
It is not unreasonable that Klaasen may have turned down a CSA contract in order to play more freely in these leagues. But other South African globetrotters David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen have signed hybrid contracts with the CSA for 2025-26, which, according to director of national teams and high performance Enoch Nkwe, "take into consideration the dynamic nature of modern-day cricket and will provide players with the opportunity to contribute to the team during specific bilateral tours and ICC events.”
The hybrid contract system would seem tailor-made for Klaasen, if he wanted to play more league cricket. It is possible that he plans to ramp up his involvement on the T20 circuit, and so has turned down any CSA contract whatsoever. But the fact that he has not signed even a hybrid contract as yet does cast doubt over the reasons for his exclusion, and his future in international cricket.
A transition period does appear to be on the horizon for South Africa, with the World Test Championship final in June bringing an end to the 2023-25 cycle, and the resignation of white-ball coach Rob Walter on April 1. His replacement is yet to be named.
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