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Kagiso Rabada is in line to join the Proteas lineup for the second Test against Australia. After the 214-run loss to Australia in the first Test in Durban, South Africa National Cricket Team captain Temba Bavuma said that keeping Rabada on the bench for the first Test against the Aussies was more from a precautionary point of view.
Australia captain Pat Cummins handed a rare Test defeat to the defending champions of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Multiple hosts performed below par, allowing the visitors to win comfortably in Durban. The heavy defeat is expected to prompt the South African team management to make some changes in their line-up for the second match, which starts on Sunday.
Kagiso Rabada is likely to play in the South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test
The absence of Kagiso Rabada was a minus point for South Africa. In his place, they added express pacer Anrich Nortje in the playing eleven. Nortje did well, taking 4 wickets in the match. The other two pacers, Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen, were not up to the mark, especially in the second innings.
Temba Bavuma claimed that he does not want to make too many changes in the team for the second match. But at least one change will have to be made if they want to play Kagiso Rabada in the crucial game. Rabada has been out of action since May. The 31-year-old featured last during the 2026 Indian Premier League with Gujarat Titans.
Temba Bavuma on the return of Kagiso Rabada
Ahead of the home series against Australia, Rabada was scheduled to make his return to competitive cricket, but a hamstring injury during a practice session increased the waiting period. The South African skipper said that Kagiso Rabada looked fine and bubbly with the other teammates and is likely to play the upcoming game.
"KG (Kagiso Rabada) looks good. I think SuperSport (South African broadcaster) kept showing him on the big screen bowling (during breaks in play). He's bubbly as ever within the changing room. And his non-selection was more from a precautionary point of view to give him the extra couple of days," Temba Bavuma told the media.
"So now he's got the extra couple of days. We'll see how he continues to improve. But KG is very good," he added.
After the Durban Test, Australia is currently holding the first spot of the ongoing cycle of the World Test Championship with 81.81 PCT (Points Percentage System). South Africa drops to third with 60.00 PCT, and New Zealand is in second place with 72.77 PCT.
Temba Bavuma is not willing to make a bulk of changes
Alongside Jansen and Mulder, spinner Keshav Maharaj, and among the batters, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and keeper Kyle Verreynne were not impressive in the previous match. But Bavuma expressed that the team has enough confidence in the boys.
"The guys that you saw who took the field are guys that we have full confidence in. Going forward, there's going to be conversations that need to happen. Guys understand that's just how professional, high-level sport goes. If you're not delivering the goods and if there is someone else who's waiting in the wings, they'll get that opportunity," Bavuma said.
