Overview
- South Africa said they will make a final decision on Rabada’s availability as late as possible, batting coach Ashwell Prince said on Tuesday.
- Rabada completed a two-day intra-squad match at Chatsworth Oval and was reported to have bowled well but the team cautioned he will not be at full match fitness immediately.
- The pacer has not played competitive cricket since the IPL in May and missed white-ball matches after suffering a hamstring problem in June, which complicates his readiness for long Test spells.
- Selectors have several seam and spin alternatives—Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy—so South Africa can adjust the attack by surface without Rabada.
- Delaying the call protects Rabada’s recovery and shifts short-term workload onto other fast bowlers while also forcing tactical choices for Kingsmead and the World Test Championship campaign; Tony de Zorzi has already been ruled out with a hamstring strain.