Kagiso Rabada’s hopes of playing a key role in South Africa’s World Test Championship title defence have been hit by a hamstring injury. The fast bowler has already been ruled out of next month’s ODI series against Australia and now faces a race to be fit for the three-Test series.
Rabada suffered a right hamstring injury during training earlier this month. Cricket South Africa said on August 21 that his winter training programme had been disrupted and that he was being monitored by the Proteas medical team.
The extent of the injury became clearer on Sunday when Afrikaans-language publication Rapport quoted Allan Donald, Rabada’s bowling coach at the Lions, as saying the fast bowler could be sidelined for nine to 10 weeks after suffering a grade-three tear.
If that assessment is accurate, Rabada could miss most or all of South Africa’s three Tests against Australia. Ten weeks from August 21 takes his recovery timeline to October 30, while the first Test begins at Kingsmead on October 9. The series is scheduled to finish at Newlands on October 31.
CSA has not confirmed the nine-to-ten-week timeline and said Rabada’s availability for the Tests will depend on his rehabilitation.
“Kagiso Rabada is currently progressing through the early stages of his rehabilitation from a right hamstring injury under the close supervision of the CSA medical team,” CSA said.
“He will miss the three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled from September 24 to 30. His availability for the Test series against Australia will depend on how he progresses through his rehabilitation, with a decision on his selection to be made closer to the series.”
Rabada is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker among active bowlers, with 340 wickets at 22.03 in 73 Tests. He remains the spearhead of their pace attack, making his potential absence against Australia a major concern.
South Africa also have a demanding WTC schedule ahead. They need to win seven of their next 10 Tests against Australia, England and Bangladesh at home, as well as Sri Lanka away, to guarantee their place in the WTC final at The Oval next June.
Rabada took only four wickets in 56 overs during the drawn two-Test series in Pakistan last October. A rib injury then ruled him out of South Africa’s 2-0 series win in India a month later.
But he was central to their success against Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s last June. Rabada took five for 51 in the first innings and four for 59 in the second as South Africa secured a five-wicket victory and lifted the title.
Losing him for the Australia series would be a significant blow. Rabada was also the standout bowler from either side during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa, finishing with 23 wickets at 19.26.
He took nine wickets in the first Test at Kingsmead and 11 in the second at St George’s Park.
South Africa do have depth in their pace attack, although Nandre Burger is currently sidelined with a back injury. Gerald Coetzee has also had his share of injury problems but is now fit and showed his readiness in a four-day match between South Africa A and Bangladesh A in Pretoria last week.
Coetzee bowled 11 overs in the first innings and 7.2 in the second, taking three for 31 and one for 29.
Twenty-year-old Kwena Maphaka is another option. His progress was evident during South Africa A’s tour of England in June, while he bowled his full quota of four overs and took one wicket for 24 runs in a T20I tri-series match against Zimbabwe in Windhoek on Saturday.
Duan Jansen, twin brother of Marco Jansen, has also made a promising start to his international career. He took two for 32 against Namibia on Friday before claiming three for 45 against Zimbabwe the following day.
Lungi Ngidi is another possibility, with his slower-ball skills in white-ball cricket offering another dimension if he is called upon in the longer format.
South Africa have enough pace options to cover for Rabada, but replacing their leading fast bowler will not be straightforward. His fitness is now one of the biggest questions surrounding the build-up to the Australia Test series.
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