South Africa's head coach, Shukri Conrad, expressed a high degree of optimism regarding the recovery of the outstanding fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, stating on Monday that he would be 'very surprised' if the South African fast bowling star misses the upcoming crucial three-match ICC World Test Championship series against Australia, which begins on October 9th.
Rabada, a key element of South Africa's attacking line-up, is currently undergoing rehabilitation after a right hamstring injury sustained during training in mid-August. This injury forced him to miss the upcoming ODI series against Australia and raised doubts about his availability for red-ball matches.
Conrad told the ICC on Monday: 'The rehabilitation and programs he is undergoing are going quite well. I would be very surprised if we didn't see him during the Test series. He is such a huge player for us, but it seems like he is saving his best for Australia. So, I am quite confident that we will see KG (Rabada). There is still some work to be done.'
Rabada has exceptional statistics against Australia, having taken 58 wickets in 11 Test matches at an average of 21.39, including a memorable nine-match series in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Adding his thoughts, Conrad noted: 'I think we will obviously get a very good idea this week as he goes through several weeks of intensive treatment. All signs point to things looking very good.' He continued: 'But KG is an absolute superstar. He is a true specimen and tends to recover faster than others. I am very optimistic, but I am guided by the medical team, so my optimism means nothing when it comes to medicine.'
The three-match series, featuring matches in Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town, is highly significant in the WTC 2025-27 cycle, as Australia holds first place in the table, and South Africa is second.
Conrad concluded: 'You cannot replace someone like KG overnight. But I think we have shown in the past, and this is what this team has been doing, that anyone who needs to take responsibility is capable of doing so. Yes, the conditions here are different, but we have worked wonders in India without KG. Even in Pakistan without our best player and best batsman in Themb, we found a way, and I think that is a characteristic of the team. So, obviously, having KG would be huge for us, but I am quite confident that even if he wasn't there, we have enough players to step up.'