South Africa's Rabada, Indian captain Gill ruled out of second Test

(Reuters) – South Africa will be without Kagiso Rabada for the second and final Test against India in Guwahati after the fast bowler failed to recover from a rib injury.

Rabada missed South Africa’s 30-run victory in the first Test at Eden Gardens after sustaining a rib bone stress injury in training ahead of the game and will not be ready for the start of the second Test on Saturday.

South Africa had called up seamer Lungi Ngidi earlier this week in anticipation of Rabada’s absence and he will be in contention to play.

"We will finalise the starting 11 tomorrow when we have had a look at the wicket, but it looks a little bit fresher than Kolkata with a bit more grass on the wicket, so that suggests it will play a bit better," captain Temba Bavuma told reporters on Friday.

"It will be more of a traditional sub-continent wicket, good for batting in the first few days and then the spinners will come into it.

"The first innings becomes crucial from a batting point of view to really set the game up. You always want to win the toss, you know the advantage of batting on day one and two."

Bavuma said there would be no thoughts of playing for a draw to claim the series win.

"Any Test you play you want to win and it is no different here. We want to play from the front and not try protect the lead we have," he said.

Rabada will also miss the three one-day internationals and five Twenty20 matches against India that follow the Test series as he begins a four-week rehabilitation programme.

PANT TO LEAD INDIA

File photo of India's Shubman Gill

India announced on Friday that they will be without captain Shubman Gill for the second Test.

Gill retired hurt in the first innings of the opening test in Kolkata and did not bat in the second as South Africa beat India inside three days at Eden Gardens.

The top-order batter travelled to Guwahati after being discharged from hospital in Kolkata, but was not deemed fit for what will be the first-ever test match at Barsapara Stadium.

"Unfortunately, he was not fully fit to feature in the second test and will head to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury," the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said in a statement on the eve of the match.

"Rishabh Pant will lead the team in the second test in Gill's absence."

India's batting line-up included six left-handers in Kolkata where South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer claimed a match haul of eight wickets.

It may prompt the hosts to pick right-handed batter Nitish Kumar Reddy ahead of Sai Sudharsan as Gill's replacement, but stand-in skipper Pant declined to reveal the playing eleven.

"See, we have taken that in consideration ... but we're going to announce it tomorrow," Pant said.

"The person who's going to play, he already knows he's going to play."

Pant said he was happy to lead the side, but did not want it to distract him from trying to help India level the series.

"I'm really proud that BCCI has given me this opportunity," he said. "Whenever you are leading your country is the proudest moment, especially in test cricket."

"At the same time, I don't want to think too much about it. I don't want to take that undue pressure of captaincy in my mind. I just want to keep things simple."