Kagiso Rabada for South Africa (Source: AFP)
In a significant development, South Africa have suffered a major injury setback ahead of a busy home season. The pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada suffered a right hamstring injury during winter training, as reported by Cricinfo on August 21.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed that the injury has disturbed Rabada's training programme and that he will undergo further assessments to determine the seriousness of the injury.
Will Kagiso Rabada Be Out Australia Tour Of South Africa 2026?
It is too early to say whether Kagiso Rabada will miss the Australia tour of South Africa 2026. CSA has confirmed, as reported by Cricinfo, that he will undergo further medical evaluation, meaning the full extent of the hamstring injury is not yet known.
South Africa's home season begins in September with ODIs against Australia. The first Test is scheduled for October 9 in Durban, followed by Tests in Gqeberha and Cape Town. Rabada will be a crucial player if he is fit, particularly in the Test series.
There is still more than a month before the first Test, giving Rabada time to recover if the injury is not severe. However, hamstring injuries can require careful rehabilitation, especially for fast bowlers who place considerable stress on their lower body.
After Australia, South Africa will face Bangladesh and England in Tests between November and January.
It is important to note that Rabada was already being carefully managed because of South Africa's packed international schedule.
He was not included in the squad for the upcoming tour of Namibia, along with several other frontline bowlers and both white-ball captains, Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram.
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Kagiso Rabada's Injury Timeline Since 2024
- August 2026, Right hamstring injury: Kagiso Rabada suffered a right hamstring injury that disrupted his training.
- November 2025, Rib-bone stress injury: He was ruled out of South Africa's Test series against India after he suffered a rib-bone stress injury during training in Kolkata. He missed the opening Test and was later ruled out of the second Test in Guwahati.
- May 2024, Lower-limb soft tissue infection: Rabada left the PBKS' IPL campaign early after developing a lower-limb soft tissue infection. He returned to South Africa for specialist treatment but recovered in time to remain available for the T20 World Cup 2024.
When Did Kagiso Rabada Last Play For South Africa?
Kagiso Rabada's most recent Test appearance came in Rawalpindi in October 2025 during South Africa's series against Pakistan. In that series, he played in 4 innings and took four wickets at an economy rate of 3.34.
Since then, he has remained involved in limited-overs cricket, including the ICC T20 World Cup and the IPL 2026. However, he did not feature in Major League Cricket and The Hundred.
In the IPL this year, the ace pacer played for the Gujarat Titans in 17 innings and took 29 wickets at an economy rate of 9.68.
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