With the series levelled at 1-1 South Africa and Australia will play the third Test in Cape Town starting from March 22. South Africa is already missing the services of Dale Steyn in the Test series will now have to do away without Kagiso Rabada who has been banned from the remaining two Tests of the series.
Dale Steyn who was expected to be fit for the third Test hasn't yet fully recovered himself. Steyn was considered to fill in for Kagiso Rabada in the remaining matches of the Test series following the two-match suspension for breaching ICC Code of Conduct to the young gun. However, Steyn failed to gain 100 % fitness to step into the void left by the 22-year-old for the third Test.
Meanwhile, former Australian cricketer, Brad Haddin has said that Rabada's absence from the rest of the Test series is an added bonus for Steve Smith's men.
“It’s disappointing for Rabada, but he’ll have an interesting couple of Test matches,” Haddin told reporters in Port Elizabeth.I know the South Africans, playing us, I’ve heard them say a couple of times this is their big series and now he’s got to sit back and watch what’s going on out there.It will be interesting to see how he comes back after that because he’ll be hurting, no doubt, over the next couple of Test matches.”
Rabada claimed 11-150 in South Africa’s six-wicket win in Port Elizabeth and Haddin says it’s a shame not to see the right-armer in action, but at the same time, it’s an obvious benefit for the tourists.
“For someone so young, the smarts he has the with ball in his hand, knowing when to go up and down gears and looking from the sidelines it looks like he really understands how to set up a batsman. I thought the spell in the second innings to go after Warner and the openers, that was a pretty placid wicket, and from where I was sitting that was some pretty hostile bowling."
Expressing his disappointment on not seeing Rabada anymore in the contest Haddin said “It’s disappointing for the game that he’s not playing but from our point of view it’s a bonus because he is a class act.”
Qantas tour of South Africa
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada
Australia squad
Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc
