South Africa captain Temba Bavuma and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will not be playing in domestic cricket to prepare for the upcoming two-Test series against India as planned earlier. Both Bavuma and Rabada were rested from the ongoing T20I and ODI series against India.

Bavuma hasn't played since South Africa's ODI World Cup campaign ended in the semi-finals against Australia on November 16, when he suffered a hamstring injury. He last appeared in a Test match in March, when South Africa took on the West Indies.

On the other hand, Kagiso Rabada was also rested after the ICC World Cup 2023, as he is carrying a heel injury. Both Rabada and Bavuma were to turn out for the Lions against the Dolphins in Durban starting on Thursday, but the Lions confirmed that neither were available.

"Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to and Rabada has a heel niggle," the statement read as per ESPNCricinfo.

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Rabada’s injury is a huge concern for South Africa and if he fails to recover in time, South Africa could be without their entire frontline pace attack for the Tests against India. Rabada sustained the injury during the ICC World Cup semi-final against Australia and he couldn’t bowl in the latter stages of the match.

Anrich Nortje is still recovering from a lower-back stress fracture while Lungi Ngidi had to withdraw from the T20I series with an ankle sprain. Ngidi didn’t play in the round of first-class fixtures that starts on Thursday.

Two other quicks, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen, have been released from South Africa's T20I team and will not play the ODIs against India while they prepare for the Tests by playing first-class cricket.

The other option Nandre Burger could make his T20I debut in the third match in Johannesburg, while Wiaan Mulder, who is in the Test squad, is expected to play in ODIs as well.

(ESPNCricinfo inputs)