Dale Steyn’s wretched run of injuries continue but Rabada lurks

Dale Steyn might’ve made his mark again but his return to Test cricket ended in dismay on Saturday after he limped off midway through his 18^th over in the first Test against India at Newlands.

He rolled his ankle in a footmark.

Scans subsequently showed what team doctor/manager Mohammed Moosajee described as “significant tissue damage” on his heel and the champion 34-year-old quick will now be out of action for four to six weeks.

“What is important to note is that this injury was freakish because of how his foot landed and is no way related to his bowling loads or not being match ready,” said Moosajee.

“Understandably, he was disappointed. But knowing Dale like we know him and you know him, he understands that he is going to try his best to recover as quickly as he can because he wants to be out there. You could see how much he was enjoying himself out there.”

Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada enjoyed a very good day with the ball but was outshone by the all-round brilliance of Hardik Pandya.

South Africa’s gifted young fast bowler really cranked it up when bowling, returning excellent figures of three for 34 in 16.4 overs, including the wicket of Pandya.

But not before Pandya had smashed a defiant 93 off just 95 balls, the two-and-a-half hours he spent at the crease spoiling what could have been an utterly triumphant day for the Proteas.

“We’ll take a lead of 77, especially with the momentum India had towards the end of the second session, but obviously we hoped for a bigger lead. But that’s Test cricket and India aren’t going to just roll over. I reckon we are slightly ahead, but India won’t give us anything, we’ll have to work really hard,” Rabada, who was at the crease at stumps on 2* as a nightwatchman, said.

“It’s a pitch you have to graft on, you need a bit of luck and eventually there will be a ball with your name on it. Pandya was dropped, but he played well, he took a bit of a gamble but he likes to play his natural game. We sat down at tea and thought about our game-plan and went around the wicket to stop his momentum.”

While Steyn was impressive in taking two for 51, Philander was exceptional in giving the batsmen nothing and taking three for 33, and Morkel worked hard for two for 57, there is nothing quite like watching Rabada bowling at full tilt.

“I feel my rhythm is quite good at the moment, but I’m not hitting my straps fully just yet. But I’m always eager to run in and bowl,” he said.

As a four-pronged pace attack, the Proteas gave the batsmen nothing until Pandya took matters into his own hands with some brave intent, but nothing will make the Indian batsmen more perturbed than the thought of Rabada bowling even better than he did on Saturday.

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