South Africa fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has been ruled out of the second and final Test against New Zealand due to back pain. The team gave this information on Thursday.
The 25-year-old pacer did not even play in the first Test, in which South Africa suffered a massive defeat by an innings and 276 runs.
South Africa’s Test captain Dean Elgar in an interaction said,
“Because he was not able to bowl last week. I don’t think his bowling load will be at the level of preparation for Test matches. He didn’t train with us. He is bowling only with small run-ups, which is a big blow for us. We know that Lungi Ngidi is a major part of our bowling unit. So the situation he is in is disappointing.”
South Africa took the field in the first Test with four fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Marco Janssen, Duane Oliver and Glatton Starman, but this strategy did not work. Starman’s debut was disappointing. He took one wicket for 124 runs. South Africa’s team can go into the second Test with either Lutho Sipamla or Keshav Maharaj.
While many South African players are out of form, Elgar said there is a huge potential for a change in the selection. Elgar said, ‘I know there is a lack of confidence in the boys of our team. We have to improve our performance.”
Let us tell you that South Africa had a very disappointing performance in the first Test. South Africa’s first innings was all out for just 95 runs. In reply, New Zealand scored 482 runs. Then South Africa’s second innings was reduced to 111 runs and thus New Zealand won the first Test by a huge margin of an innings and 276 runs.
New Zealand’s team is trying to win the first test series against South Africa. Wegner has made it clear that his team wants to beat South Africa in the series at any cost. The Kiwi bowler said that this series win will be no different from any other series win.
Wagner said, ‘South Africa have a quality team and of course we want to beat them in the series. It’s always been a great unit. People ask me this question because I was born there. But I’ve lived here for 14 years, so I don’t think or feel much about it. I probably only know two or three people on this team. So it is a very different team from when I started my career.
Wagner further said, ‘We will be happy to beat any team. We beat England for the first time, don’t know in how many years. A few months back we saw Bangladesh how they played in their conditions. It is difficult to play Test cricket against any team. Every victory is a treasure for you. The first Test win against South Africa was also special, but it is no different than any other team.
New Zealand team coach Gary Stead has said in this context that, ‘Trent Boult is not in a position to be available in this Test match with his heavy workload. Since he was on paternity leave and at the same time he missed out on a lot of opportunities to play cricket and bowl. So we felt it would not be good for him at this point of time to take the risk of him playing. Matt Henry was included in the squad in the absence of Trent Boult in the first Test.
