South African pacer Kagiso Rabada and Test captain Temba Bavuma, who are not part of the Proteas’ white-ball cricket squad gearing up for the Test series against India, will not be featuring in domestic cricket.
Originally expected to return for the Lions clash against the Dolphins on Thursday, both star Proteas players have been ruled out. The Lions confirmed in a statement that Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to, while Rabada is dealing with a heel niggle.
If Rabada’s injury proves to be more serious, he could potentially miss the first Test against India, commencing on December 28. The absence of the 28-year-old would leave the hosts without all of their frontline pacers.
South Africa is already without Anrich Nortje, who has been ruled out of the series as he continues to rehabilitate from a lower-back stress fracture. Additionally, Lungi Ngidi had to withdraw from the T20I series due to an ankle sprain.
Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen, two other fast bowlers released from the T20I squad, will also miss the ODI series as they participate in domestic cricket to prepare for the Test format against India.
India’s Test squad against South Africa includes Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohd. Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, and Rohit Sharma as captain.
The South Africa Test squad comprises Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, and Kyle Verreynne.
