Kagiso Rabada’s fitness for the Test series against India is in doubt, which is a major concern in and of itself, but a potential disaster in light of Anrich Nortje’s definite absence and Lungi Ngidi’s unknown status.
Rabada was scheduled to play for the Lions in their first-class encounter against the Dolphins on Thursday at Kingsmead. However, he will miss the game because to an injured heel that limited him to six overs in the World Cup semifinal against Australia on November 16 at Eden Gardens. He hasn’t been seen since. When asked how long Rabada would be out, South Africa’s team management responded that he “will undergo further assessments.”
Nortje has been out of the game since September 10 due to a lumbar stress fracture. Ngidi was ruled out of the T20I series against India, which concludes at the Wanderers on Thursday, as well as this week’s round of first-class fixtures on Friday due to a sprained ankle.
The Test series begins on December 26 in Centurion, with South Africa likely to unleash a pace assault lead by Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee – both of whom are set to play for their provinces this week – and supported by Wiaan Mulder and the uncapped Nandre Burger.
Jansen and Coetzee are rising stars, with 44 and nine wickets respectively in 11 and two Tests. Rabada, Nortje, and Ngidi, on the other hand, have 96 Test caps and 401 wickets between them. Rabada has sixty caps and 280 wickets to his name. He made his debut at Mohali in November 2015, with Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, and has established himself as one of the game’s best fast bowlers.
Furthermore, Temba Bavuma will enter the Tests against India having not taken up a bat in more than five weeks. He hasn’t played since the World Cup semifinals, and he was scheduled to play for the Lions this week until withdrawing to “attend to a personal matter,” according to a Lions press release on Thursday. According to the announcement, Lions coach Russell Domingo “admitted he was disappointed” by the omission of Rabada and Bavuma from his starting XI in Durban.
So Bavuma, South Africa’s solid middle order batsman, will come in from the cold to captain an attack that may fall short of his expectations. That is hardly a prospect that cricket-loving South Africans would relish.
Indians are also concerned. Despite missing his team’s first four matches, Mohammed Shami was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 24 strikes. Shami, on the other hand, has an ankle injury and has yet to restore fitness, according to sources.
South African and Indian fans will be wondering what this means for their teams in the upcoming series. Neutrals will be hoping that the thought of watching some of the game’s finest quicks on the same field – and on a wicket that favors pace bowling – doesn’t overpower them.
