bhaskarlive

Very optimistic Kagiso Rabada will play in Test series against Australia: Shukri Conrad

Digital Desk | Durban, Sep 21 (IANS) Expressing high optimism over ace fast bowler Kagiso Rabadas recovery, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad on Monday said he would be very surprised if the star fast bowler misses the upcoming crucial three-match ICC World Test Championship series against Australia, starting October 9. Rabada, the lynchpin of the South African pace attack, is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a right hamstring injury sustained during a training session in mid-August. The injury forced him out of the upcoming ODI series against Australia, while casting doubts over his availability for the red-ball games. It's going quite nicely, the rehab and the programs that he's on. I'd be very surprised if we didn't see him during the Test series. He's such a huge player for us, but he seems to reserve his best for Australia. So I'm pretty confident that we'll see KG (Rabada). There's still a little bit of work to be done, Conrad told ICC on Monday. Rabada holds an exceptional record against Australia, having scalped 58 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 21.39, which includes a memorable nine-wicket match haul in the 2025 World Test Championship Final victory at Lord's. I think we'll obviously have a really good idea close this week sometime, when he'll have had a few weeks of intensive treatment. By all accounts, things are looking really good. But KG is an absolute superstar. He's a real specimen and he tends to recover quicker than the rest do. I'm very optimistic but I'm led by the medical team so my optimism counts for nought when it comes to medical, added Conrad. The three-match series, featuring Tests in Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town, carries significant weight in the WTC 2025-27 cycle, with Australia leading the table and South Africa occupying the second spot. You don't replace someone like KG at the drop of a hat. But I think we've shown in the past, and this is what this team has really been about, that whoever needs to step up is able to do that. Yes, conditions are different here, but we did some wonderful things in India without KG. Even in Pakistan without our best player and best batter in Temba, we managed to find a way and I think that's the hallmark of the side. So obviously having KG will be massive for us, but I'm pretty confident that if he weren't around, we've got enough stocks for guys to step up yet, concluded Conrad.