Rain forecast for first day of second Test with Australia on Sunday

Although Temba Bavuma delayed naming the Proteas starting XI for the second Test against Australia, there was no doubt about Kagiso Rabada’s return to the side, following a hamstring injury.

South Africa’s superstar fast bowler has operated at full tilt during training at St George’s Park and is primed to face an enemy for whom he has saved his best performances. “He’s available for selection,” said Bavuma. “He’ll obviously be a big addition and boost to the team on the field. He’s raring to go.”

Australian captain Pat Cummins also delayed naming his starting team, agreeing with Bavuma that he too needed to assess weather conditions in Gqeberha. Rain has been forecast for the first two days of the Test, which starts on Sunday.

The return of Rabada is one of possibly three changes to the South African side that was beaten by 214 runs last week in Durban. Marques Ackerman and Matthew Breetzke were called into the squad, with Tristan Stubbs axed and Kyle Verreynne relieved of wicket-keeping duties.

Bavuma said he was keeping his options open regarding the structure of the starting team; whether Ackerman or Breetzke would open alongside Aiden Markram, where Ryan Rickelton, who will don the keeping gloves would bat, and what kind of all-rounder (spinner or seamer) would start. “It all depends on how things look in the morning,” said the South African captain.

While not a stronghold, the Proteas have built up a good record at St George’s Park in the last 12 years winning seven of their last 10 Tests at South Africa’s oldest Test venue.

That includes two victories over Australia, the last of those in 2018, when SA were also 0-1 down in the series following a loss in Durban. In that match Rabada took 11 wickets.

“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 than we have on any other player. 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,” said Bavuma.

Bavuma explained that South Africa needed to show drastic improvement across all areas if they’re going to tie the series ahead of the last Test in Cape Town. He called on the batters to be more ruthless than they were at Kingsmead, where a series of soft dismissals, especially in the first innings, saw them surrender a 106-run lead to the tourists.

“To concede a lead like that on a wicket like that, was rather criminal.”

Again he emphasised the importance for South Africa to extend its innings, something that was mentioned often in Durban, but which the players failed to put into practice.

After making 3 and 1 in the first Test, Bavuma was not removing himself from criticism either and said he’d spent extra time in the nets reinforcing his own strengths.”I think there can be a tendency, I guess, to change your method. My method has been rather successful over the last couple of years, so I want to stick to that,” he said.

“I spent a little bit more in terms of honing my skills in the nets, but I don’t think you’re going to expect anything different from me. I’m not going to go out and be slashing at my first ball. I’ll apply myself as I normally do.”