SA vs AUS, 2nd Test: Australia’s assistant coach Matthew Wade has warned that Kagiso Rabada will inject the much-needed heat into South Africa’s bowling unit in the second Test at the St. George’s Park in Gqeberha, beginning on October 18, Sunday. The former keeper-batter stated that he understood it will be tough to combat Rabada, given he will keep coming at Australia.

SA vs AUS, 2nd Test: “He’ll keep coming for the whole Test match” – Matthew Wade on Kagiso Rabada

Rabada missed Australia’s ‌214-run victory in Durban with a hamstring injury but is in contention for Sunday’s match at St George’s Park, where reigning World Test champions South Africa will look to level the three-test ​series.

“The thing that stands out with him is his competitiveness. He takes it to the opposition, he’ll be ⁠in our face, he’ll keep coming for the whole test match, so we really ​know that,” Wade, Australia’s ​assistant coach, told reporters.

Wade, who worked with Rabada in the Indian Premier League, said the bowler’s ​ability to sustain pressure would give the hosts greater versatility after they struggled to contain Australia in the series-opener.

“They went with two spinners last time but … him and (Anrich) Nortje can basically take ​one quick spot and (do) short spells and really attack as hard if they ​want to.”

Wade was downbeat about Cameron Green’s chances of returning for Australia for the second test, ‌having missed ⁠Durban with an abdominal strain. The all-rounder had returned to batting in the nets but was more likely for the series finale in Cape Town, he said. That may mean another chance for Nic Maddinson, who was a surprise pick to open the ​batting with Travis Head ​in Durban, with ⁠Matt Renshaw moving down the order to score 190 and 82 in a match-winning performance at number five. Despite the result, former ​Australia captain Steve Waugh called for the team’s selectors to stop ​changing the ⁠batting order, and let players settle in fixed roles.

Wade said the players were happy to be flexible.

“If the conditions tell us it’s time to change the batting order, we’ll ⁠make that ​change,” he said. “We’ve seen over the last little ​bit that we’ve been able to adapt really quickly and more importantly the players take it on so ​easily – and credit to them.

The Proteas have made one change to the squad that suffered a 214-run loss in Durban, swapping Matthew Breetzke for Tristan Stubbs.

(With inputs from Reuters)