Rabada did not play in the first Test in Durban, where South Africa were beaten by 214 runs, but trained with the team as he completed his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.
With rain forecast for the first two days of the match, both Bavuma and Australia captain Pat Cummins said they would delay finalising their teams until Sunday. However, Bavuma said Rabada was “raring to go” and pointed to the fast bowler’s outstanding record against Australia. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will return to the South African team for the second Test against Australia starting at St George’s Park on Sunday, captain Temba Bavuma said.
Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will return to the South African team for the second Test against Australia starting at St George’s Park on Sunday, captain Temba Bavuma said.
Rabada has taken 58 wickets at an average of 21.39 in 11 Tests against Australia, including nine wickets when South Africa won the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in 2025 and 11 wickets in the corresponding match in 2017-18 when South Africa bounced back after losing the first Test in Durban. 5 after his player-of-the-match scores of 190 and 82 in Durban.
“The bowlers feed massively off him,” said Bavuma. “The first innings was where we fell short,” he said. Cummins said Matt Renshaw was set to continue batting at No. Usually an opening batter in Test cricket, Cummins said Renshaw deserved credit for his willingness to adapt to a new role. “He just said, ‘Yep, no worries, whatever the team needs.'”
“There’s an aura and a lot of belief in KG (Rabada), and that rubs off on the other players. “To concede a lead like that on a wicket like that was rather criminal.
