Kagiso Rabada’s injury leaves South Africa sweating ahead of Tests in Australia

Kagiso Rabada’s hopes of playing a key role in South Africa’s Test World Cup title defense have been hit by a hamstring injury. The fast bowler has already been ruled out of next month’s ODI series against Australia and now faces a race to be fit for the three-Test series.

Rabada suffered a right hamstring injury during training earlier this month. Cricket South Africa said on August 21 that his winter training program had been disrupted and that he was being monitored by the Proteas’ medical team.

The extent of the injury became clearer on Sunday when Afrikaans-language publication Rapport quoted Allan Donald, Rabad’s bowling coach at the Lions, as saying the fast bowler could be sidelined for nine to 10 weeks after suffering a third-grade tear.

If this assessment is accurate, Rabada could miss most or all of South Africa’s three Tests against Australia. Ten weeks from 21 August take him to recover until 30 October, while the first Test starts at Kingsmead on 9 October. The series is scheduled to finish at Newlands on October 31.

The CSA did not confirm a timetable of nine to 10 weeks and said Rabad’s availability for the tests would depend on his rehabilitation.

“Kagiso Rabada is currently progressing through the early stages of his rehabilitation from a right hamstring injury under the close supervision of the CSA medical team,” CSA said.

“He will miss the three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled for September 24-30. His availability for the Test series against Australia will depend on how he progresses in his rehabilitation, with a decision on his selection made closer to the series.”

Rabada is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker among active bowlers, with 340 wickets at 22.03 in 73 Tests. He remains at the forefront of their pace attack, so his potential absence against Australia is a big concern.

JAR also has a demanding WTC program ahead of it. They need to win seven of their next 10 Tests against Australia, England and Bangladesh at home as well as away in Sri Lanka to guarantee their place in the WTC final at The Oval next June.

Rabada took just four wickets in 56 overs during the drawn two-Test series in Pakistan last October. A rib injury then ruled him out of South Africa’s 2–0 series win in India a month later.

But he was crucial to their success against Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s last June. Rabada took five for 51 in the first innings and four for 59 in the second as South Africa secured a five-wicket victory to lift the title.

Losing him for the Australian series would be a significant blow. Rabada was also an outstanding bowler at both ends during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa, finishing with 23 wickets at 19:26.

He took nine wickets in the first Test at Kingsmead and 11 in the second at St George’s Park.

South Africa have depth in their pace, although Nandre Burger is currently sidelined with a back injury. Gerald Coetzee has also had his share of injury problems but is now fit and showed his fitness in the four-day match between South Africa A and Bangladesh A in Pretoria last week.

Coetzee bowled 11 overs in the first innings and 7.2 in the second, taking three for 31 and one for 29.

Another possibility is twenty-year-old Kwena Maphaka. His progress was evident during South Africa A’s tour of England in June, when he bowled his full quota of four overs and claimed one wicket for 24 runs in the tri-series T20I against Zimbabwe in Windhoek on Saturday.

Duan Jansen, the twin brother of Marc Jansen, has also had a promising start to his international career. He took two for 32 against Namibia on Friday and took three for 45 against Zimbabwe the following day.

Another option is Lungi Ngidi, whose skills with the slower ball in white-ball cricket offer an extra dimension if called upon in the longer format.

South Africa have enough pace to cover Rabada, but replacing their leading fast bowler will not be easy. His fitness is now one of the biggest questions surrounding the build-up to the Test series in Australia.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

30 Aug 2026 17:02 IST