There is a palpable sense of relief running through the Proteas camp on the eve of the second Test at St George’s Park, with pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada declared fit and ready to unleash against Australia.
For a side backed into a corner after a chastening 214-run defeat at Kingsmead, Rabada’s clearance by the medical staff could not have come at a more critical hour.
With the two-match series on the line and precious World Test Championship points at stake, South Africa need their main man leading from the front if they are to level the series and stay alive in the WTC race.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma did not understate the psychological boost Rabada brings back to the side.
“He’s been released by the fitness team and he’s available for selection,” Bavuma.
“He’ll obviously be a big addition and a boost to the team on the field. The bowlers feed massively off him — he leads the attack in everything that he does, and he brings an extra level of confidence to the unit.”
Rabada has enjoyed playing against Australia over the years, taking 58 wickets across 11 Tests, only taking more scalps against England in his career.
"There's a lot of belief in KG, Bavuma said,
"A lot of the guys rub off that. So he'll obviously feed off the performances that he's had against Australia. I think for us, it's also not to put any more expectation that we have on any other player, you know? KG will do what he does, and all the other guys as well should look to do what they need to do for the team," he added.
Despite Rabada’s return, Bavuma confirmed that there are still some selection decisions to make.
Overcast conditions in Gqeberha and a potentially tacky surface have forced selectors to hold back on naming their starting XI until the morning. The primary debate centers on balance, whether to continue with spin duo, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer or shore up the middle order with an extra batter or all-rounder.
“We don’t have a final eleven as of today,” Bavuma admitted.
“With all the talk around the weather, we’re not exactly too sure. We have a clear understanding of what we want, but we just want nature to do its thing. Playing two spinners is something we consider, and that will affect whether it’s an extra batter or an extra all-rounder, so it all depends on how things look in the morning.”
After the first-innings collapse in Durban ruined any chance of controlling the series opener, the mandate for the top order is clear from Bavuma's standpoint.
“It’s about extending our batting innings and being a lot more ruthless in how we execute when the opportunity is there to do something big for the team,” Bavuma noted.
With the brass band ready on the embankment and Rabada back in the fold, the stage is set for a proper Test match scrap.