David Bedingham stresses the importance of Kagiso Rabada’s return for the second Test

The fast bowler, who inspired the Proteas to the WTC win last year, missed the first game on account of a hamstring issue

The stage is all set for a Kagiso Rabada return. The fast bowler, who missed the opening South Africa-Australia Test at Kingsmead, Durban due to a hamstring problem, is a cinch for the second game starting at Gqeberha on Sunday.

Kagiso Rabada was sorely missed at Kingsmead. (Action Images via Reuters)

The Proteas missed the 31-year-old badly in the series opener as they succumbed to a humiliating 214-run defeat on the last day. Top-order batter David Bedingham, who failed to convert his starts into big runs in both innings at Kingsmead with scores of 49 and 46, believes Rabada’s return to the team is good news for the Proteas, trailing 1-0 in the three-game rubber at present.

The right-hander, who looked effortless as long as he was at the crease in the first game, cites the fast bowler’s top-notch performance last year in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s, which helped the Proteas stun the Aussies.

"He's massive for us. It looks like he's quick again. He's sharp.

"Even if you look back, last year in the World Test Championship final, he took nine wickets against Australia.

"Against any team he plays against, he's ready. Hopefully, come this next Test, he takes nine or 10 wickets. That would be quite nice," Bedingham said.

Rabada has taken 58 wickets in 11 Tests against Australia, and among all Proteas bowlers who have taken 50 or more wickets against the Aussies, he boasts the best average at 21.39. When the last time the Aussies toured the rainbow nation in 2018, Rabada picked up 23 wickets in four games to help his team to a 3-1 win.

However, not everything appears to be going South Africa’s way ahead of the contest. Aiden Markram, Player of the Match in the WTC final thanks to his brave century in the fourth innings of the match, did not participate in Friday’s training session and that has given rise to the speculation that he may not feature in the second Test. Markram, who scored 37 and 75 in the first Test, last month missed the first ODI against the Australians due to personal reasons. In August, he left the Hundred too, again due to personal reasons.

South Africa would hope Markram continues to be part of the series. He and Bedingham were the only Proteas batters who looked convincing against the relentless Aussie bowling in Durban. Another defeat will see the hosts lose the high-profile rubber, something Temba Bavuma’s men definitely wouldn’t want, and to stop that from happening, they would need Markram.