Lungi Ngidi’s left ankle sprain has ruled him out of the T20Is against India, and his participation in the two-match Test series is uncertain. Cricket South Africa’s medical team will assess Ngidi before deciding on his availability for a domestic four-day match starting on December 14.
Beuran Hendricks, a left-arm seamer with 19 T20Is under his belt, has been called up to replace Ngidi for the T20Is. With Kagiso Rabada rested and Anrich Nortje ruled out, South Africa will be without three first-choice bowlers for the T20Is. However, they still have a strong pool of quicks to choose from, including Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Lizaad Williams, Ottniel Baartman, and Hendricks, as well as allrounders Nandre Burger and Andile Phehlukwayo.
Jansen and Coetzee will be released after the first two T20I games to play red-ball cricket in preparation for the Tests. Baartman and Williams will lead the attack in the ODIs, supported by Burger, Wiaan Mulder, and uncapped Mihlali Mpongwana.
South Africa’s experienced spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, have been included in both white-ball squads, with Maharaj also part of the Test set-up.
