Two days before the first Test against Australia in Durban, Kagiso Rabada did fitness drills and bowled off a longer run-up at Kingsmead, but South Africa will make the call on him as late as possible.
Two days before the first Test against Australia, Kagiso Rabada did fitness drills and bowled off an increasingly longer run-up at Kingsmead on Wednesday 7 October 2026, ESPNcricinfo reported. South Africa will leave the call on his availability for the opening Test "as late as possible".
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Match | First Test v Australia, Kingsmead, Durban, 9-13 October 2026 |
| Rabada on Wednesday | Fitness drills, then bowling off two paces and later nine; pace noticeably slower than match speed |
| Match fitness | No competitive match since the last day of May at the IPL; no Test since the tour of Pakistan in October 2025 |
| Pace crisis | Tony de Zorzi out of the first Test; Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka and Ottneil Baartman out of the series with hamstring concerns |
What Rabada did at Kingsmead
Rabada initially bowled off two paces, then moved to nine, and looked relaxed throughout. His pace was noticeably slower than match speed. He has not played a competitive match since the last day of May at the IPL, is coming off a significant injury and has not played a Test since South Africa's tour of Pakistan in October 2025. He also missed the India series with a rib injury.
Second sources report that the injury was a Grade 3 right hamstring injury picked up in winter training in mid-August. He took nine wickets in the World Test Championship final last June.
Harmer: no appetite for risk
Offspinner Simon Harmer addressed the media on Wednesday. "Everybody wants him to play... There'll be a decision made, I'm sure, as close to the game as possible." He added: "I don't think we want to risk a short-term game for long-term damage." Harmer noted that South Africa have eight home Tests between now and early January and ten left in this WTC cycle (WTC 2025-27).
Squad news and the pace crisis
South Africa's pace stocks are thin. De Zorzi is out of the first match with a hamstring injury, while Ngidi, Maphaka and Baartman have been ruled out of the series entirely with hamstring concerns.
The preliminary 18-man squad was to be cut to a final 15, but Rabada and 17 of the other 18 will remain with the squad for the Tests, with de Zorzi the only one withdrawn. Reported recalls to the Test setup are Anrich Nortje (last Test March 2023), Gerald Coetzee and Dane Paterson. Marques Ackerman is the only uncapped player.
Reports say Rabada came through a two-day intra-squad match on Sunday and Monday (4-5 October) well. Batting coach Ashwell Prince said he "bowled exceptionally" and that a call will be made as late as possible. Head coach Shukri Conrad said: "I'd be very surprised if we didn't see him during the Test series."
Why it matters
With Ngidi, Maphaka and Baartman out of the series and de Zorzi out of the opener, South Africa's pace options are thin, so Rabada's availability matters for the Australia series. South Africa are weighing a first-Test return against the risk of further damage, with ten Tests left in this WTC cycle. The call will be made as late as possible, with the Test starting on Friday.
Read the full story on ESPNcricinfo. ESPNcricinfo.
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