Kagiso Rabada's recovery from a hamstring injury is progressing well with suggestions that he could be back in the XI as South Africa look to square the series against Australia in Gqeberha.
Rabada has not played any cricket since the IPL in May but was set to feature in the ODIs against Australia last month before he hurt his hamstring in winter training. He was named in South Africa's Test squad for the Australia matches but sat out the first game "from a precautionary point of view," according to captain Temba Bavuma. Rabada remained with the squad and was shown bowling, with increasing intensity and, if fit, should slot straight back into the team in Gqeberha.
"KG looks good," Bavuma said at the post-match press conference. "I think SuperSport (the South African broadcasters) kept showing him on the big screen bowling. He's bubbly as ever within the changing room. And his non-selection was more from a precautionary point of view to give him the extra couple of days. So now he's got the extra couple of days. We'll see how he continues to improve. But KG is very good."
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Ahead of the Test, Bavuma said Rabada had not yet been "officially handed over," by Cricket South Africa's medical staff, which indicated he was still under return to play protocols. It is not clear whether that hand over has taken place but from Bavuma's latest update, it appears Rabada's rehabilitation has moved forward.
If he is cleared to play, it is likely he will come in for Anrich Nortje, who had a heavy workload in this match. Nortje, playing a Test for the first time in over three and a half years, bowled 40 overs across two innings, more than both of Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder. Speaking at the end of day two, Mulder said that "miles in the legs," could impact bowlers' availability in a long summer.
"As soon as you go over 20 overs, those miles in the legs do mpact you at some stage," Mulder said. "It's the first Test so most of our bowlers are fresh but whether you'll see Anrich in the second Test, I'm not sure. Someone like him who bowls express pace, you don't necessarily want him to be playing all the Test matches. I'm not on the selection panel or anything like that, I'm just saying what I'm thinking to be honest but miles in the legs does play a role."
Nortje is one of seven quicks in South Africa's squad, which includes Jansen, Mulder, Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson. They also have several others on the sidelines. Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka and Otteneil Baartman are unavailable for selection for the Australia Tests as they recover from respective hamstring injuries but are expected to feature later in the summer.
South Africa will announce an updated squad for the second Test on Thursday after they had a 17-player group for the first Test. Uncapped batter Marques Ackermann and spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy were the other two squad players who did not play at Kingsmead