Proteas will play the next test without Philander

Proteas will play the next test without Philander

Cape Town- The Proteas will go into a Test against Pakistan at Centurion on the 26th without Vernon Philander.

Philander won’t attend the test due to hairline fracture on his right thumb.

Proteas will be seriously tested since Lungi Ngidi was also ruled out until next year February. Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier and Dale Steyn will lead the test.

Keshav Maharaj will be operating as a specialist.

“I really don’t even want to think about what would happen should there be another injury,” Proteas coach Ottis Gibson said last week.

“If you look at where we are, Steyn, Rabada and Olivier become very important to us. We just want to manage them as best we can. We’ve seen how Dale’s been going.

“I don’t want to say we’ve seen a transformation because he’s always been a top player, but he’s back to full fitness and performing like the player of old. KG (Rabada) as always is very important to us.”