Proteas will look to stalwarts to replace Rabada in third Test

CAPE TOWN, South Africa: The fitness of experienced fast bowler Dale Steyn will be of even more interest to South Africa in the coming days after their most potent wicket-taker Kagiso Rabada was ruled out of the remainder of the four-Test series with Australia.

Rabada, fresh from a match haul of 11-150 as South Africa won the second Test by six wickets on Monday to level the series at 1-1, was suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for two games after reaching the threshold of eight demerit points.

The responsibility of filling his shoes in the third Test at Newlands starting on March 22 will likely fall on one of two South African stalwarts approaching milestones.The hard wicket should suit Morne Morkel, who has announced he will retire at the end of the series.

The 33-year-old has 297 Test wickets and will be eager to add three more before he calls it a day, though his match figures of 3-121 in the first Test suggest he lacked rhythm.There is a school of thought that Morkel would have played at Newlands anyway given the nature of the wicket, coming back into the side for Lungi Ngidi who replaced him for the second Test.

South Africa will also have to make a call on Steyn, who sits on 419 Test wickets, two behind the country’s all-time leader in the five-day game, Shaun Pollock.He broke down with a heel problem in South Africa’s first Test victory over India at Newlands in early January.

Steyn’s recent injury woe has means he has played one Test in almost 18 months and he did not get through that one.