‘I know I am good enough for the international stage,’ says Fortuin after Proteas snub

The loss of a national contract is likely to fuel Bjorn Fortuin’s competitiveness even further after he revealed he didn’t deserve to be omitted from the list of 18 players named by Cricket SA last week. 

“Is it warranted that I lost my contract? No, I don’t think so,” Fortuin said.

“I know how good I am. I know I am good enough for the international stage. Whether the powers that be see that, that’s not in my control,” he added.

Aged 30, Fortuin has played 13 ODIs and 25 T20 Internationals, which have been spread over six years. Therein is an illustration of the biggest challenge he has faced with his international career. 

Since making his debut for the Proteas in a T20 match against India in September 2019 — when he shared spinning duties with Tabraiz Shamsi — Fortuin has found himself locked in competition against Keshav Maharaj, Shamsi and lately his Lions teammate Nqaba Peter and even George Linde, who made a stunning return to the international arena this season. 

Maharaj has retained his national contract, which is warranted given that he plays all three formats, but the only other front-line spinner on the list is Senuran Muthusamy, who along with four Tests has played two ODIs.

Those matches took place in the triangular series before this year’s Champions Trophy, with Fortuin, who was part of the squad that faced Pakistan in a home ODI series, strangely omitted. He claimed at the time he’d had no communication with now former Proteas limited overs coach Rob Walter about the reasons for that omission. Fortuin captained the Lions in all seven matches in the domestic One-Day Cup and, despite taking just seven wickets, was his normal frugal self, conceding an average of 4.31 runs an over.

“It’s one of those things — I’m under no illusions that I was going to hold that contract forever,” Fortuin said. 

There are many viewers of the domestic game who feel Fortuin hasn’t been handled fairly at national level. He certainly warranted being given more opportunities and that he hasn’t been to a World Cup in either of the limited overs formats is strange. 

He’s been a mainstay in the SA20 for the Paarl Royals, opening the bowling for them at Boland Park, where his record in the power play is exemplary — 20 wickets, with an economy rate of 6.08. While his success at that venue has been astounding, it has also counted against him, because in that tournament he’s not been able to replicate his dominance at other grounds. 

It’s perhaps why his appearances for the Proteas have also been sporadic. Fortuin has taken 16 wickets in 13 ODIs, at an average 30.81 and with an economy rate of 4.91. In the 25 T20s he’s played his 20 wickets have come with an economy rate of 7.91. He is also one of the country’s best fielders, especially in the inner-ring, which, given the Proteas' problems in that department in the past few years, should be another tick next to his name. 

What does count against him has been the inability to transfer domestic form with the bat to international level. He averages 31 in First Class cricket, but his stats are less effective in the limited overs formats, where, because he bats in the lower order he averages 16.61 in the One-Day format and 9.76 in T20s. 

That question is better suited to the man standing behind you. Whatever people think, I don’t play the game according to others’ beliefs [about me].

—  Bjorn Fortuin

But, Fortuin would argue, besides Linde, none of his other spin rivals has lit up the domestic or international scene with the bat.

Of course, being a fierce competitor — as he demonstrated in the Four-Day final, where he got involved in a few fiery verbal exchanges with the Titans — Fortuin will be fuelled by what he views as being an unfair omission from the nationally contracted list. 

When asked after the final in which he scored 62 and took eight wickets, how he felt, he pointed to CSA director of national teams Enoch Nkwe and said: “That question is better suited to the man standing behind you.

“Whatever people think, I don’t play the game according to others’ beliefs [about me].”

There are plenty of chances available this year. Fortuin will be heading to the Caribbean next month with the South Africa A side, while the Proteas will also be playing up to 31 matches across the two limited overs formats between August this year and January 2026.

Fortuin should feature in some of those and then it is a case of doing what’s necessary to regain that national contract and, more importantly, put himself in the picture for World Cups — both in the T20 format next February and the 50-over event to be held in South Africa in 2027.