Steyn, who turns 34 on June 27, has been stuck on 417 test wickets – four short of Shaun Pollock's national record – since suffering a stress fracture of the shoulder during a test against Australia last November.
The fast bowler had been included in a South Africa A squad to tour England in June in what was seen as a fitness test ahead of the four-match test series.
But he told journalists in Johannesburg that his recovery has been slower than he hoped and will not be able to join the A team or to play in the tests.
