South Africa’s premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of the side’s home Test series against Australia after suffering a grade-three tear to his right hamstring. Rabada, 31, is expected to be sidelined for up to two months after picking up the injury, which disrupted his winter conditioning programme. Former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald, who’s the bowling coach of Lions, Rabada’s domestic team, said the medical assessment has totally ruled him out of the high-profile series, after initially hoping to have him available for their opening four-day domestic encounter against Boland starting on September 10.
But Rabada’s absence leaves a massive void in the South African bowling attack. South Africa are scheduled to host Australia for a three-match Test series starting in Durban on October 9, followed by subsequent matches in Gqeberha and Cape Town, beginning from October 18 and 27 respectively. The Tests will be preceded by a three-match ODI series starting at Kingsmead in Durban on September 24. The right-arm pacer has picked 340 wickets in 73 Test matches and was instrumental in South Africa’s victory over Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord’s, where he returned with match figures of 9-110.
“He’s going to be out for all the Aussie Tests as well,” Donald was quoted as saying by News24 on Sunday.
Despite the growing injury list, the Proteas bowling depth can come to their rescue. Seamer Gerald Coetzee recently picked up match figures of 4-60 for South Africa A against Bangladesh A, while Kwena Maphaka and Corbin Bosch are very much on the radar for selection into the Test team, who are currently at second spot in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) standings behind table-toppers Australia. Earlier reporting noted: South Africa are likely to suffer a major blow ahead of their three-match Test series against Australia, with premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada ruled out after sustaining a severe Grade 3 tear in his right hamstring. Earlier reporting noted: South Africa are scheduled to face Australia in three Tests, with the second match in Gqeberha from October 18 and the final Test in Cape Town from October 27. The series will be preceded by a three-match ODI series beginning in Durban on September 24. Earlier reporting noted: Meanwhile, Rabada has taken 340 wickets in 73 Tests and played a key role in South Africa’s victory over Australia in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord’s, where he finished with match figures of 9-110. He also boasts an impressive record against Australia, having claimed 58 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 21.39.
