Proteas paceman Lungi Ngidi’s involvement in the coming Test tour of Bangladesh is not a certainty.
The issue is whether the fast bowler is able to cope with the workloads that are expected from quick bowlers in the often brutally hot sub-continent conditions.
After all, the 28-year-old only bowled 16.5 overs in the heat in the first Test during the Proteas tour of the West Indies, while Kagiso Rabada bowled almost twice as many.
As there are fitter, younger and more exciting youngsters breaking into the Test side, coach Shukri Conrad said Ngidi might only play Tests in South Africa, purely because of the workloads that may be required from a fast bowler in the subcontinent.
“He had the first crack in the first Test in Port of Spain. If you asked him, he’d probably be slightly disappointed (with his returns). We’re going to have to wait and see if he’s boarding the plane to Bangladesh,” Conrad told Independent Newspapers.
“I think it’s important for Lungi to understand that there’s a lot of work that he’s going to have to put in as well.
“It is just a conditioning and fitness thing. I’m not talking about being injury-free.
“I think there’s a difference between being injury-free and having the tank to be competitive in a Test match, especially in oppressive heat like we had in the West Indies, which we’re more than likely to have in Bangladesh as well.
“It was good to see him in this white-ball series, but the Test matches are tougher for him in the subcontinent conditions, so you’ll probably see more of him in home conditions, if I’m brutally honest.
“It’s a tough one, but every call I make and I’m going to make is only going to be for the betterment of South African cricket ... it’s not personal.
“He’s still part of our fast-bowling stocks, but we’ve got a lot of good, young fast bowlers. And Lungi is still 28 – it’s not like he’s old.
“I’m thrilled to that he’s still very keen on playing Test cricket, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.”
According to the ICC Future Tours Programme, the Proteas Test team should be travelling to Bangladesh next month for a two-match series scheduled to start on October 21.
However, with the recent political unrest in Bangladesh having forced the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup to be moved from Bangladesh to the UAE, the Test tour could suffer a similar fate.
Conrad said that they are awaiting a security report to inform Cricket South Africa whether it is safe to travel to Bangladesh, and expect the report later this week.
The 57-year-old said that he hopes the tour will take place as scheduled.
“There’s a security team there currently, and I think they are just wrapping up matters,” said Conrad.
“We’ll know later this week whether this tour is on, but by all accounts it’s looking positive. Until we hear otherwise from the security team, we’re still preparing as if it’s going ahead.”
Bangladesh look in really good form, having won their first Test series in Pakistan earlier this month.
The Najmul Shanto-led side also put up a fight in the first Test against India last week, despite losing by 280 runs.
This means South Africa are likely to find a Bangladesh outfit high on confidence and match fitness if the tour goes ahead as planned.
After the Bangladesh series, the Proteas will take on Sri Lanka at home in Durban and Gqeberha.
Sri Lanka have also been very active and in good form, having won a Test in England before going on to beat New Zealand in Galle last week.
With the Proteas, on the other hand, the gaps between Tests are quite significant.
“Bangladesh away is a tough tour. They are playing good cricket at the moment, have a crop of fast bowlers now that can compete anywhere and will be well-prepared,” said Conrad.
“Similarly, Sri Lanka won the last Test in England and then beat New Zealand. These guys are playing a lot of cricket, and they will be well-prepared.”
The international summer will begin with South Africa hosting India for four T20s in November. The four matches will be played in Durban, Gqeberha, Pretoria and Johannesburg.