Pacer Lungi Ngidi flew in on Tuesday to join the South African squad ahead of the second and final Test against India in Guwahati, beginning on Saturday.
The senior quick, not named in the initial squad, is believed to be flown in as
cover for pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test at Eden Gardens with a rib injury.
South Africa, with an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the two-Test series after a come-from-behind 30-run win in the opener, are still keeping their fingers crossed over Rabada’s return in Guwahati.
“He (Rabada) is recovering gradually. But it’s still a little early to say if he could be fit for the second Test,” a Proteas team source said.
The visitors, though, didn’t miss Rabada’s services too much at the Eden as the likes of off-spinner Simon Harmer and left-arm quick Marco Jansen kept striking at crucial junctures to take the game away from India. However, the impact player that Rabada is, his presence will be a massive boost to the buoyant Proteas regardless of the conditions in Guwahati.
As for Ngidi, his overall numbers against India — 27 wickets from seven Tests — aren’t bad at all. But in his lone Test appearance on Indian soil, in Ranchi in October 2019, Ngidi went wicketless for 83 off 20 overs.
South Africa, though, wouldn’t wish to tinker much with their winning combination unless there are forced changes.
Jansen and Harmer had gone to a city hospital on Tuesday afternoon for a check-up. “Jansen is perfectly okay. But Harmer appears to be a tad indisposed with a knock on his right shoulder. He still has time to recover, though,” the Proteas source stated.
South Africa would certainly want Harmer to be fully fit by Saturday.
It won’t be surprising if the South Africans bring Dewald Brevis back in the XI for Guwahati. Brevis’s inclusion would mean an extra specialist batsman, which could be essential, particularly as this will be the first-ever Test in Guwahati. And the conditions are alien not just to the Proteas, but for the home team as well.
In case Brevis comes in, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne may sit out, as Ryan Rickelton or Tristan Stubbs may stand behind the stumps then.
Captain Temba Bavuma, fresh from his unbeaten 55 in the second innings, which
was massive given the situation the Proteas found themselves in, visited the Eden on Tuesday evening for a brief, informal meeting with Cricket Association of Bengal president and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly.
