WISHING ON A STAR

THE Proteas will give premier fast bowler Kagiso Rabada until Friday to prove his fitness ahead of the all-important second Test against India, which starts at 5.30am on Saturday in Guwahati.

The visitors claimed their first win on Indian soil in Kolkata last week without Rabada’s services after the paceman was struck down by a rib injury.

Bowling coach Piet Botha has confirmed that a late call will be made on Rabada, who travelled with the team to Guwahati but did not practice with the span on Thursday.

The Proteas have called up Lungi Ngidi to bolster the pace bowling stocks should Rabada not be passed fit.

Botha said on Thursday: “Rabada is still being monitored by our medical staff. He obviously wasn’t at practice today, but we’ll make a call in the next 24 hours.”

Botha also provided an update on yster off-spinner Simon Harmer’s shoulder. Harmer claimed a haul of 8/51 to earn the player of the match award in the first Test at Eden Gardens, and will be vital to the Proteas’ cause due to the large number of left-handers in the Indian batting line-up.

Botha added: “In terms of his [Harmer’s] fitness, he is fine. He bowled today at the nets. No problems there.

“Obviously if the ball spins as early as it did in the last Test, then the majority of the Indian batting line up are left handers. That brings him into the game a lot.”

Due to early sunrise and sunset in Guwahati, the second Test will have a 9am start local time, followed by the unique situation of the players having tea first followed by lunch.

Botha said the Proteas have prepared for this situation.

He wysed: “I know back home in Durban, we start at 9am, and sometimes the ball goes around for the first hour, and then it settles down, and that side is up to lunch, and this side is up to tea.

“We’ll prepare as much as we can in terms of both scenarios, where we have to get through various different sessions of the day.”