Proteas bowling line-up has certainly given its best in the recently concluded limited overs leg at Australia. Steyn, Rabada and Ngidi were all guns blazing on the field as they decimated Aussies at the home ground. While everything was going fine, a bad news has now hurt them.
Lungisani Ngidi has now been ruled out of action for a period of three months due to an injury sustained in the only T20I against the kangaroos. This will certainly be a huge loss for the side as they were trying to finalize their starting XI for the world cup 2019.
Ngidi has reportedly hurt his knee during the only T20I which was played only for 10 overs due to rain interruption. This injury means that he will be out of the home series against Pakistan which takes place for a period of two months from December to February 2019. This can add extra responsibility for Chris Morris or Andile Phelukwayo to play the role of a third pacer in the side.
Speaking on the same, the team manager Mr Mohammed Moosajee said “He underwent investigations and further assessments with knee specialists upon his return to South Africa, which revealed a significant ligament injury to the right knee. Due to the significant nature of the injury, he will require a minimum of 12 weeks of rest and rehabilitation to make a successful return to play.”
Earlier this month Ngidi was also retained by IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings for his consistent performances towards the end of the tournament. He was widely appreciated for his thrifty spells and it will be interesting if the board would allow him to play the IPL 2019 keeping in mind the world cup and his recovery.
His recent international performances gained him 17 spots in ICC ODI rankings and he ranks 43. His absence is really a concern and Faf”s men should be hopeful of finding a proper replacement.
