Sri Lanka match: ‘Kagiso Rabada is not an automatic choice’

Kagiso Rabada is not an automatic choice for South Africa in the second Test against Sri Lanka, according to coach Mark Boucher, AFP reported.

Rabada joined the South African bio-secure environment during the first Test after recovering from a groin strain but South Africa’s leading fast bowler will need to be assessed carefully before being rushed into action when the second Test starts at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.

“Because his name is Kagiso Rabada, we would want to play him but we’ve got to manage his loads,” said Boucher in the AFP report.

“He’s coming back from injury so we will just monitor his progress.”

Speaking after South Africa’s win over the Sri Lankans by an innings and 45 runs in Centurion, Boucher said the biggest challenge facing cricket teams in the times of Covid-19 was managing fast bowlers.

He said he had sympathy for opposite number Mickey Arthur who had to deal with two Sri Lankan fast bowlers breaking down during the Test.

“It’s very difficult in these times to prepare,” he said in the AFP report.

“We are having to think out of the box continuously to try and get our workloads up in order to bowl 20 overs a day. It’s easier for batters to work on their fitness. You can do shuttles. But, it’s difficult to bowl 20 overs in your back garden.

“You have to try to simulate a game situation. You might have to bowl 10 overs in the morning and then come back in the afternoon and bowl another 10 overs, and while you are busy waiting you walk around the field, trying to simulate what you would do in a game.

“You can’t put guys in cotton wool and just have them bowl six overs and think they are ready for a Test match.”

Boucher said Sri Lanka’s injury woes emphasized the importance of teams having big squads at a time when it was necessary for players to be in bio-secure ‘bubbles.’