Injury puts Ngidi out of Proteas’ home Tests

Lungi Ngidi will play no part in Proteas’ series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan after being diagnosed with a severe groin injury, Cricket SA said on Thursday. 

The 28-year-old quick bowler is expected to return only in January, ruling him out of two Tests against Sri Lanka, which start at the end of November, and the multiformat series with Pakistan that includes Tests at Ngidi’s home ground, SuperSport Park, and Newlands. 

The injury was detected when Ngidi was assessed after being put on a conditioning programme following the Proteas’ tour to Bangladesh recently.

According to CSA, scans revealed bilateral proximal adductor tendinopathy, a chronic overuse injury to the adductor muscles in the inner thigh or groin. The ailment causes pain in the upper inner thigh and groin area, and can be aggravated by hip adduction and explosive changes in direction, such as those made by a fast bowler. 

Ngidi, who was in line for selection in both series, will begin a rehabilitation programme, and may return only for the SA20, which starts on January 9. That does not leave a lot of time for him to make an impression before the Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in February. 

Though Ngidi played no part in the two Tests in Bangladesh, he featured in six of SA’s seven matches in the UAE against Afghanistan and Ireland. Ngidi’s most recent Test was against the West Indies in Trinidad in August, when he bowled 16 overs and took one wicket.

Meanwhile, Test captain Temba Bavuma will undergo a fitness test on Monday to assess his readiness for the Sri Lanka series.

The CSA said Bavuma was “making positive progress” in his recovery from an elbow injury sustained while batting in the ODI series against Ireland in October. 

The Proteas will have a training camp at the Centre of Excellence in Tshwane before the Sri Lanka series, which starts in Durban on November 27.