Rabada named in preliminary Proteas Test squad for Australia despite hamstring injury

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been named in South Africa’s 18-player preliminary squad for next month’s three-Test home series against Australia, despite recovering from a hamstring injury.

The squad announced on Monday, 28 September, also includes recalls for Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee and Dane Paterson. Batter Marques Ackerman is the only uncapped player in the group. South Africa have left out injured seamers Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka.

Coach Shukri Conrad said the extended group will assemble in Durban on 1 October, allowing selectors more time to assess fitness before the first Test at Kingsmead from 9 to 13 October. Speaking to TimesLIVE, Conrad said Rabada would be given time to prove he can withstand Test-match intensity but that the team would not select him out of desperation.

Nortje’s place is also preliminary. Conrad said the bowler’s workloads would be assessed before the group is reduced to 15. His last Test appearance was in 2023, while the recalls of Coetzee and Paterson add pace options at a time when several bowlers are injured.

The second Test is scheduled for Gqeberha from 18 to 22 October and the third for Cape Town from 27 to 31 October. The venues and dates were reported by Reuters through SABC News. This announcement concerns the Test series, separate from the one-day international series South Africa has already won against Australia.

The preliminary group is captained by Temba Bavuma. It includes Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Senuran Muthusamy and Ryan Rickelton among the batting, all-round and spin options. A final starting XI has not been announced.