IND vs SA: If Kagiso Rabada Is Tired, He Won't Have The Same Effect On The Indian Batting Lineup - Ravi Shastri

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that South African pacer Kagiso Rabada will be their trump card as expected but his workload management will also play a huge role in his performances against India.

South Africa will play a 5-match T20I series against India starting on June 9 and Rabada has had just over two weeks of a break to rest and recuperate following a fabulous outing in the IPL 2022 season playing for Punjab Kings.

“I don’t think as much as it was, say 2-3 years ago because people have seen him [Rabada]. They have seen a lot of him even in IPL cricket. What will be interesting to see is how fresh he is, if he is tired then the effect he has on the Indian batting lineup won’t be the same.”

“But experience-wise he has got all the goods. He will dish it out there but as opposed to years gone by, I don’t think that much of a threat,” Shastri said during an interaction on the Star Sports show Game Plan.

“You can use Kagiso Rabada like Bumrah is used by the Indian team” – Irfan Pathan

Former cricketer Irfan Pathan reckoned that Rabada’s role could be similar to that of Jasprit Bumrah’s. The latter generally bowls a couple of overs in the powerplay before returning in the death overs to execute his pinpoint yorkers.

“Absolutely, there is no second opinion about that. His IPL has been very good, he is in form as well. He has regained the form he had lost a little. He is an extremely quality bowler, he will give you overs in the powerplay and bowl yorkers at the death. You can use him like Bumrah is used by the Indian team.”

“He has the pace and the pitched-up deliveries that he bowls are extremely fast and you get a lot of wickets on Indian pitches if you bowl the fuller deliveries fast. So, he is a very big threat,” Pathan added.

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