Lions bowling coach Allan Donald warns that losing Kagiso Rabada would be a massive blow against Australia, while advising against rushing 20-year-old Kwena Maphaka into the cauldron that is a series against the old foe. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackapagePix
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackapagePix
It will be a massive blow for the Proteas if Kagiso Rabada fails to recover in time for the Test series against Australia, warns Lions bowling coach Allan Donald.
"I honestly believe that both bowling attacks are world-class, but Kagiso Rabada brings an extra edge. I know Australia fears and respects him," said Donald. "If he's missing, that will be a big blow. However, I still think that even without KG, our bowling attack is good enough to expose the Australian lineup."
The news of Rabada’s hamstring injury is deeply concerning with Australia's tour of South Africa rapidly approaching.
While Rabada has only been officially ruled out of the One-Day International (ODI) series, he faces a race against time to be fit for the red-ball matches. The ODI series begins on September 24, with the first Test scheduled to start on October 9 in Durban.
Rabada sustained the injury on August 21, and Cricket South Africa (CSA) estimates a recovery period of four to five weeks.
One name touted as a potential replacement is rising star Kwena Maphaka. However, the Proteas fast-bowling legend believes the 20-year-old isn't ready to face Australia in the game's longest format just yet.
"With Kwena, I would love to see him find his feet in this format," Donald explained. "He desperately wants to play Test cricket, but the groundwork requires him to spend time in the middle and get used to bowling long spells—to keep coming back and building his body up.
"The question is, when do you bring him in? If you throw him straight in there, I just think he’s played too much white-ball cricket. He hasn’t had the time to build his body and understand its limits. Test cricket is a massive step up for a young player. I’m sure he’d say, 'No problem, no sweat,' but facing Australia, Bangladesh, and England back-to-back is a completely different beast."
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