New Delhi: Kagiso Rabada could miss South Africa’s first Test against India after the pacer pulled out of the domestic match against Dolphins due to a heel injury, according to a statement from his team Lions. Rabada was not named in South Africa’s white-ball squads against India to prepare for the two-match Test series starting on Boxing Day later this month. Along with Rabada, Temba Bavuma also pulled out of the game.
“Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to and Rabada has a heel niggle,” read a statement from Lions. Although the extent of Rabada’s injury is unknown, in case, the right-arm pacer is ruled out, the hosts will be without any of their frontline pacers.
Anrich Nortje has already been ruled out of this series as he continues his recovery from a lower-back stress fracture while an ankle sprain ruled another fast bowler Lungi Ngidi out from the ongoing T20I series.
Meanwhile, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen have been released from the T20I squad and will also miss the ODI series to participate in the domestic tournament as a preparation for the Test series.