South Africa cricket team suffered a major blow to their bowling attack as star pacer Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against India due to an injury. Ngidi suffered a left lateral ankle spray on Friday and is also expected to miss the Test series starting on Boxing Day.
The 27-year-old right-arm pacer was named in both T20I and Test teams for the India series. But he sprained his left ankle during training and was released from the camp. Ngidi will undergo rehabilitation with the Momentum Multiply Titans and will be under the supervision of the medical team.
With Kagiso Rabada being given rest, the management has called Western Province pacer Beuran Hendricks as Ngidi's direct replacement. Beuran will join South Africa's strong pace attack of Gerald Coetzee, Lizaad Williams, Marco Jansen and Andile Phehlukwayo for the three-match T20I series against India.
South Africa host the World no.1 Indian side in the three-match T20I series starting on December 10. Captain Temba Bavuma and star pacer Kagiso Rabada are rested to focus on the two-match Test series. Aiden Markram leads the team in the white-ball series with Ottniel Baartman and Nandre Burger in contention for their T20I debut.
Ngidi struggled to make an impact in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2023 in India with 10 wickets in eight innings and was later dropped from the playing eleven for the semifinal game against Australia. On the other hand, the likes of Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee were impressive throughout the tournament and are part of both the T20I and Test teams for the India series.
South Africa T20I squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Beuran Hendricks, Lungi Ngidi (ruled out)
