The Proteas head coach has not ruled out Kagiso Rabada's participation in the first Test against Australia, though he stressed the team will take the conservative route if any risk remains.
South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad has left open the possibility of Kagiso Rabada featuring in the first Test against Australia, scheduled for October 9 in Durban, despite the fast bowler carrying a Grade 3 right hamstring tear sustained during a training camp on August 21, 2026.
Conrad addressed Rabada's fitness on September 23, 2026, making clear that while he hopes the pacer will be available at some point in the series, the team's medical staff will have the final say.
"He'll play at some stage, I'd like to think. It might even be the first one (Test). But we also need to be mindful that it's not the WTC Final that starts on the 9th of October. It is the first of eight Test matches and if there is any risk, then we will take the conservative route," Conrad said, speaking to TalkSport.
Conrad also spoke about Rabada's personal motivation to face Australia, a team against whom he has a stellar record in Test cricket.
"He's raring to go as he always is, and I think the sight of Australians gets him salivating. So I'd be surprised if he didn't take the Aussies on," he added.
Why is Rabada's fitness for the first Test uncertain?
Rabada suffered a right hamstring injury on August 21, 2026, during a South Africa training camp. Cricket South Africa initially estimated his recovery at four to five weeks from that date, which would have placed him in contention for the early part of the Test series.
However, medical scans later confirmed the injury was a Grade 3 tear, described as a complete or near-complete rupture, and the recovery timeline was extended to up to 10 weeks. That revised estimate would push his return close to or beyond the start of the three-Test series, whose matches are scheduled for October 9 in Durban, October 18 in Gqeberha and October 27 in Cape Town.
Rabada was officially ruled out of South Africa's three-match ODI series against Australia, running from September 24 to 30, 2026. His availability for the Test series remains dependent on how his rehabilitation progresses. Lions bowling coach Allan Donald had earlier stated that Rabada would miss all three Tests against Australia, a position that appears to conflict with Conrad's more optimistic assessment on September 23.
What record does Rabada hold against Australia in Tests?
Rabada's record against Australia in Test cricket underlines why Conrad and South Africa are keen to have him available for this series. The right-arm pacer has claimed 58 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia at an average of 21.39, figures that highlight his consistent effectiveness against this particular opposition. His most recent standout performance against a high-profile opponent came at the 2025 World Test Championship Final at Lord's, where he took 9 wickets to help South Africa win the title.
Conrad's remarks on September 23 suggest South Africa have not given up hope of having their premier fast bowler available for at least part of the series, though no official Cricket South Africa statement confirming an updated medical status had been issued as of September 24, 2026.