Injury a blessing in disguise for Rabada — Donald
SA fast bowler Kagiso Rabada’s back injury could yet prove to be a “blessing in disguise”, according to former Proteas paceman Allan Donald.
At the age of just 22, Rabada is on top of international cricket’s Test bowling rankings and an important figure in a SA pace attack that has been having to do without sidelined Dale Steyn.
Rabada played a central role in SA’s recent 3-1 Test series win over Australia, their first on home soil against the Australians since readmission.
A bitterly contested series saw Rabada successfully appeal against a ban for colliding with Steve Smith in Port Elizabeth that would have ruled him out of the final two Tests of a campaign that was overshadowed by the Australia ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town.
Rabada was named man of the series after taking 23 wickets at an average of under 20 apiece but he bowled only eight overs in Australia’s second innings in the final Test in Johannesburg. He was subsequently diagnosed with a lower-back stress reaction and ruled out of all cricket for up to three months by Proteas team management.
That meant Rabada could not take up a contract to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament where the Delhi Daredevils had bid $646,000 for his services at January’s player auction.
But with SA not involved in international action again until a tour of Sri Lanka in July featuring two Tests, five ODIs and a lone T20, Donald was glad Rabada had been forced to step off cricket’s treadmill.
“I think what happened to Rabada is probably a blessing in disguise because the bloke is knackered. He just didn’t look like he had anything in him in that last innings in Joburg.
“I mean that in a very nice way with his injury as he can have time to rest because at the moment he’s not getting any of that,” said Donald, who is now the assistant coach of English county Kent.
Since making his debut three years ago, Rabada has already played 30 Tests, taking 143 wickets at an average of 21.59, figures that stand in comparison with those of all-time fast bowling greats.
“He’s our front-man at the moment, he is just an absolute gift,” said Donald, whose own career saw him take 330 wickets in 72 Tests at an average of 22.25. “He’s the best young fast bowler going around right now.”
When Rabada and fellow 22year-old Lungi Ngidi are both fit, the Proteas’ pace attack has a decidedly youthful cutting edge, albeit 32-year-old fast-medium bowler Vernon Philander is a proven performer at Test level.
“It’s a seriously talented, young fast-bowling group,” said Donald. “Steyn is not there at the moment, he’s making his way back. He’ll play in Sri Lanka by all accounts, and there’s Ngidi.”
But Donald warned that the Proteas quicks would not have things all their own way in Sri Lanka.
“Vernon does what Vernon does. If there’s anything in the wicket he’ll expose it.
“It’s going to be a different story in Sri Lanka though, that’s for sure,” he said. “They will be tested severely in Sri Lanka, and it’s not going to seam much,” Donald said.