Rabada Racing the Clock as Conrad Hints at Changes for Port Elizabeth Test

Rabada the headline absentee

South Africa's hopes of squaring the series against Australia could hinge on the fitness of Kagiso Rabada, with head coach Shukri Conrad describing the fast bowler as his "Rolls-Royce" and admitting his absence from the first Test at Kingsmead was a major factor in the 214-run defeat.

Rabada sat out the Durban match with a hamstring injury, and he has not been alone on the treatment table. Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman and Lutho Sipamla have also fallen victim to South Africa's injury epidemic in recent weeks, leaving Conrad to "fashion an attack" in Durban.

"It's going to sound like an excuse, but when your Rolls-Royce of fast bowlers is not available you've got to fashion an attack," Conrad said after the match ended on Tuesday, October 13. Asked about Rabada's chances of featuring in the second Test at St George's Park, which starts on Sunday, he replied: "Hopefully our Rolls-Royce will be purring down the highway."

Changes on the cards

Conrad indicated he is prepared to shuffle his personnel for Port Elizabeth. "We need to get the personnel who we believe are going to front up. We've got guys in our squad who deserve a crack. So it's safe to say that might be an option," he said.

Uncapped Marques Ackerman looks the likeliest to be given "a crack", while Tony de Zorzi, Corbin Bosch and Senuran Muthusamy are also in the squad — though the availability of De Zorzi, another casualty of the team's injury run, is uncertain. The squad was picked for the first Test only, with an update expected on Thursday.

Asked whether he and convenor of selectors Patrick Moroney might look outside the current group, Conrad said: "We're always looking." But perhaps not too far. "This is neither a calamity nor a catastrophe. We just lost a cricket match. It doesn't mean you've got to go soul-searching and questioning all the things we've done well and are doing well. We just need to get bloody better."

A batting order in flux

South Africa's selection churn has not been confined to the bowling attack. Discounting two Tests in New Zealand in February 2024, when a significantly depleted squad was sent because of first-choice players' SA20 commitments, Conrad has used five different No. 3 batters, eight No. 5s and eight No. 6s across his 22 matches as Test coach.

David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have batted in all three of those positions, while Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder and Dewald Brevis have occupied two of them. With South Africa playing so few Tests — they are the current World Test Championship champions but will need seven victories from their next nine matches to be confident of reaching next year's final — Conrad conceded the constant reshuffling may be unavoidable.

Rabada remains the exception, picked regardless of opponents or conditions. "We need to look at how we can improve the side without being knee-jerk in our decision-making and panicky," Conrad said. "We need to show composure. But the question is always will it make the boat go faster if we make changes or will it slow the boat down? We're constantly looking at how we can make the boat go faster."