Temba Bavuma Breaks Silence on Kagiso Rabada’s Chances Against Australia
- Kagiso Rabada’s fitness remains a major talking point ahead of the Proteas’ opening Test against Australia at Kingsmead on Friday
- Temba Bavuma has provided an encouraging update on Rabada, but his comments suggest the final decision could still go down to the wire
- South Africa has several pace options available if Rabada is not cleared, adding another layer of intrigue to the Proteas’ selection for Kingsmead
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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has broken his silence on Kagiso Rabada’s chances of facing Australia in the opening Test at Kingsmead on Friday, 9 October 2026.
Rabada has been racing to recover from a hamstring injury that initially cast serious doubt on his participation in the three-Test series. However, his progress has been encouraging, with the fast bowler completing a two-day intra-squad match without an apparent setback.
Bavuma has now offered another positive indication, although he stopped short of confirming Rabada’s return.
Temba Bavuma gives Kagiso Rabada update
Speaking in Durban on Tuesday, 6 October, Bavuma said Rabada remained under the care of the Proteas medical team.
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“It’s too complicated. He’s still standing. He still looks strong,” Bavuma told IOL Sport.
The captain also said Rabada was “in good spirits mentally” and remained keen to contribute during the series.
“He’s still under the auspices or care of the medical team. They would need to ordinarily hand him over. We still have a couple of practices leading up to Friday,” Bavuma said.
That means the decision is expected to go down to the wire.
Rabada has not played competitive cricket since the IPL in May, making his return to five-day cricket a decision South Africa will need to handle carefully.
Proteas will not rush their star bowler
The latest update follows similar comments from batting coach Ashwell Prince, who said Rabada bowled well during the two-day practice match but was “not going to be at 100% straight away”.
Head coach Shukri Conrad has also made it clear that South Africa will not make the decision based on desperation.
Rabada’s record against Australia makes his potential return particularly significant. The 31-year-old has taken 58 wickets in 11 Tests against the Australians at an average of 21.39.
He was also one of South Africa’s standout performers when they defeated Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord’s.
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Anrich Nortje ready if Rabada misses out
South Africa has not left itself short of options. Anrich Nortje has been included after returning to the Test setup for the first time since March 2023. Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson are also available.
Rabada therefore remains in contention, but Friday’s final decision will ultimately depend on the medical team and how he responds to the final training sessions.
For now, Bavuma’s message is encouraging without giving South African fans a definitive answer. The Rabada call is still coming.
Proteas face another hamstring concern before Australia Tests
Briefly News previously reported that Tony de Zorzi suffered a hamstring concern during the final ODI against Australia in Potchefstroom on 30 September.
The batter pulled up while Australia were batting and was unable to continue for the remainder of the match. His injury came just days before South Africa’s Test series against Australia, leaving his availability as another fitness issue for the Proteas to assess.
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Source: Briefly News
