New Delhi [India], September 21 (ANI): South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad has given the latest update on Kagiso Rabada's fitness, with the fast bowler working through rehabilitation on a right hamstring injury sustained during South Africa's training in mid-August ahead of the all-important ICC World Test Championship series against Australia.
The injury already ruled Rabada out of this month's ODI series against Australia, leaving his availability for the Tests in question ahead of South Africa's home summer, as per the ICC website.
However, while speaking to the ICC, coach Conrad has provided a positive update on his pace spearhead's recovery.
"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," Conrad said.
"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," he added.
South Africa's three-Test series against Australia, starting 9 October, comes just over a year after the two sides met in the final of the 2023-25 WTC, which the Proteas won by five wickets at Lord's.
South Africa currently sit second in the WTC 2025-27 standings behind leaders Australia, with matches at Kingsmead in Durban, St George's Park in Gqeberha and Newlands in Cape Town. The series could be pivotal in the two sides’ final fate in the ongoing cycle, and the Proteas will be hoping their chief bowling threat will be ready in time for action.
Rabada has taken 58 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia at an average of 21.39, including a nine-wicket match haul in the 2025 WTC Final at Lord's and would be gunning to continue that form against their closest rivals on the WTC points table.
Conrad added that a final call would come in soon, once Rabada has had a further stretch of treatment, with the team unwilling to risk his fitness given the demanding summer ahead.
"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," he added. "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."
Asked whether the Proteas could cope without him, Conrad pointed to recent series wins without other key players.
"You don't replace someone like KG at the drop of a hat,” he noted. “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," he concluded. (ANI)
"Very surprised if we don’t see him": Conrad positive on Rabada’s Australia Test return
