Table of Contents
Kagiso Rabada has already been ruled out of the ODI series against Australia, with question marks over his participation in the upcoming Test series. He is currently out of action because of an injury.
It will be the first Test series between Australia and South Africa since they met in the final of the World Test Championship 2023-25. South Africa lifted the mace by defeating Australia in the final.
Kagiso Rabada to miss ODIs vs Australia due to an injury
In the ongoing edition of WTC, both of the nations are in the race to book spots in the final of the tournament again. However, there is still a long way to go before the last lap of the race. Ahead of the much-anticipated series, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad shared positive updates on the injured pacer Kagiso Rabada.
Rabada is set to miss the ODI series, but will he play the Test series against Australia? That remains a million-dollar question for the defending WTC champions, as they are heavily dependent on Kagiso Rabada to mobilize the pace bowling attack. The pace spearhead is currently undergoing a rehabilitation process after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Will Kagiso Rabada play Tests vs Australia?
Shukri Conrad, in an interview, told the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the experienced fast bowler is in the rehabilitation program with all the chances to take the ground for the Test matches against the Aussies. Conrad will be surprised to see if Rabada remains absent during the Test matches.
"It's going quite nicely, the rehab and the programs that he's on. I'd be very surprised if we didn't see him during the Test series. He's such a huge player for us, but he seems to reserve his best for Australia. So I'm pretty confident that we'll see KG (Rabada). There's still a little bit of work to be done," Conrad said.
Rabada carries an attractive record against the Australian cricket team in the longest format of the game. The seamer has clinched 58 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia at an average of 21.39, including a nine-wicket match haul in the 2025 WTC Final at Lord's.
Shukri Conrad will have to wait longer before a final call on Kagiso Rabada
South Africa team management is yet to provide a timeline for Rabada's return date. The head strongly believes that a sportsman like Kagiso Rabada will recover soon. But before making any final statement on his availability, Conrad will have to wait a few weeks for providing any confirmation regarding the star fast bowler.
"I think we'll obviously have a really good idea close to this week sometime, when he'll have had a few weeks of intensive treatment. By all accounts, things are looking really good," he added.
"But KG is an absolute superstar. He's a real specimen, and he tends to recover quicker than the rest do. I'm very optimistic, but I'm led by the medical team, so my optimism counts for nought when it comes to medical."
