Kagiso Rabada and Temba Bavuma will skip the Durban dress rehearsal before the India Tests

Test captain Temba Bavuma of South Africa and star quick Kagiso Rabada will not play in the domestic first-class match, which serves as a warm-up match before the two-match Test series against India. The two were notably rested from the white-ball bouts with the guests.

On Thursday, December 14, starting in Durban, Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada were set to play for the Lions against the Dolphins. The Lions have since acknowledged that neither player will be available for the contest.

As cited by ESPNcricinfo, an official statement from the Lions stated, “Rabada has a heel niggle, and Temba Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to.” Additionally, it stated that Lions coach Russell Domingo was “disappointed” because neither of them could be reached.

In the upcoming Test match against India, South Africa’s pace attack may be severely compromised if Rabada is unable to recuperate in time for the first Test, which will take place at the SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium in Centurion on December 26. Due to a heel problem, the right-armer was unable to bowl in the latter parts of the semi-final match against Australia during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India.

Due to his ongoing recovery from a lower-back stress fracture, Anrich Nortje, a right-arm fast bowler, was ruled out of the entire series. Amidst all of this, Lungi Ngidi pulled out of the current T20I series due to an ankle sprain. Furthermore, he will not play in the first-class games that begin on Thursday.

Proteas has dropped Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen, two more fast bowlers, from their T20I team. Both players will receive rest for the upcoming ODI series. The pair will specifically participate in the practice match before the tests.

On December 14, Nandre Burger, who is a member of the white-ball team, will make his debut in the third Twenty20 International against India at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium. The other bowling option for the Proteas, Wiaan Mulder, who is part of both the Test and ODI squads, will not play in the current round of first-class matches.