The Proteas will not risk fast bowler Kagiso Rabada in the first Test against Australia at Kingsmead on Friday, according to captain Temba Bavuma.
Bavuma confirmed the Proteas playing XI at the pre-match media engagement on Thursday.
Rabada has been making good progress after sustaining a hamstring injury last month, but have decided that with a long internaitonal summer ahead, the big fast bowler will be put on ice for the moment.
“Yah, it’s always a, it’s not an easy one. I think we did go the conservative route, give him a couple of extra days to get as close as he can be to 100% fitness,” Bavuma said.
“Yeah, look, we’re confident in our medical team to get him to the place where we need him to be. They haven’t officially handed over, if I could put it that way, so he’s under their control.
“Obviously for us, as soon as he gets the green light, you know, we expect him to be within that starting lineup, you know, so giving him a couple of days until I guess the second test, but yeah, he’s in the hands of the medical team.”
Dolphins captain Marques Ackerman will also have to wait for his opportunity and will miss out on a Test debut at his homeground Kingsmead.
Coach Shukri Conrad and national convenor of selectors Pat Moroney have opted for the experience of David Bedingham at No 3 instead with Tristan Stubbs moved back down into the middle-order at No 5.
Fast bowler Anrich Nortje will step into Rabada’s shoes as the Proteas pace spearhead. Nortje has not played any first-class cricket since March 2023.
“Yeah, look, I mean, a guy like Anas, hard to ignore, his X-factor,” Bavuma said.
“I think there’s not many guys around who are bowling 150-plus and I think as a batter, you know, that’s not something that I would look forward to. He fits in very well into our approach from a bowling point of view with regards to the fast bowlers.
“Look, as much as he doesn’t have the weight of, I guess, overs under his belt of bowling with the red ball, he has been doing work with the bowling coaches.
“I think the time that we’ve had here as well, you know, he’s been very impressive in the nets. So, you know, I think it was a calculated call to give Anrich Nortje a go.”
The selectors have also included the two-pronged spin attack of Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer as expected.
Play gets underway at 9:30am on Friday morning.
Proteas Test team for the first Test against Australia
Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Anrich Nortje.
