Kagiso Rabada, South Africa’s premier fast bowler, will miss the domestic first-class fixtures as he nurses a heel niggle ahead of the upcoming Test series against India. This news adds to the Proteas’ bowling woes, with Anrich Nortje already ruled out due to injury and Lungi Ngidi missing the T20I series due to an ankle sprain.

Rabada and South Africa captain Temba Bavuma were both set to represent the Lions against the Dolphins in Durban, but their absences leave the team with a depleted bowling attack. The Lions confirmed Rabada’s absence in a statement, citing a heel niggle, while Bavuma is dealing with a personal matter.

“Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to and Rabada has a heel niggle,” the statement read.

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Rabada’s injury could significantly impact South Africa’s chances against India. With Nortje and Ngidi already unavailable, the Proteas’ pace attack is looking thin. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee have also been withdrawn from the T20I series and will miss the ODI leg as well.

Mohammad shami and Kagiso Rabada to be ruled out of the south Africa vs India test series.

I think more than south Africa it will hurt India because south Africa has enough back up but we don’t have the quality of Mohammad shami in red ball cricket.#AUSvsPAK #DavidWarner… pic.twitter.com/1f6jbRBlij

— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) December 14, 2023

India will face South Africa in the third and final T20I of the series after the first one was washed out due to rain and the hosts won the second by five wickets. The two teams will then lock horns in a three-match ODI series before the highly anticipated Test series, which kicks off their respective campaigns in the third cycle of the World Test Championship.

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While Rabada’s absence is a blow to South Africa’s bowling attack, it also presents an opportunity for younger players to step up and prove their mettle against a formidable Indian team. The Test series promises to be a thrilling contest, and cricket fans around the world will be eagerly watching to see how the two teams fare.

South Africa Test squad:

Temba Bavuma (C), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne.