Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada to miss Durban dress rehearsal ahead of India Tests

South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma and star speedster Kagiso Rabada will miss the domestic first-class fixture, a preparation game ahead of the two-match Test series against India. Notably, the duo were rested from the white-ball matches against the visitors.

Bavuma and Rabada were about to play for the Lions against the Dolphins in Durban starting on Thursday, December 14. However, the Lions recently confirmed both players' unavailability for the game.

"Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to and Rabada has a heel niggle," an official statement from the Lions said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. It also added that Russell Domingo, Lions coach was "disappointed" since neither of them are available.

If Rabada cannot recover before the first Test at SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium in Centurion starting on December 26, it could leave a huge void in South Africa's pace attack in the forthcoming Test against India. The right-armer's heel issue occurred during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India, where he could not bowl in the latter stages of the semi-final against Australia.

Right-arm fast bowler Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the entire series as he is currently recovering from a lower-back stress fracture. Meanwhile, Lungi Ngidi withdrew from the ongoing T20I series as he sustained an ankle sprain. Moreover, he will not feature in the first-class fixtures starting on Thursday.

Two other fast bowlers, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen have been released from Proteas' T20I squad and will be rested for the subsequent ODI series as well. In particular, the duo will take part in the preparation match ahead of the Tests.

Meanwhile, Nandre Burger is included in the white-ball squad and is set to debut in the third T20I against India at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on December 14. The Proteas' other bowling option, Wiaan Mulder, who is in the Test squad as well as the ODI squad will not take part in the round of first-class fixtures.