South Africa pick Rabada for Test Championship final after ban

Kagiso Rabada has been named in South Africa’s squad for next month’s World Test Championship after completing a one-month ban for recreational drug use.

The seamer returned to the camp of his Indian Premier League side Gujarat Titans shortly before the competition’s suspension last week and looks set to feature against Australia at Lord’s.

Cameron Green and Pat Cummins have been named in the Australia squad for the final, for which both sides have named 15-man parties.

All-rounder Green has not played for Australia since he suffered a stress fracture in his lower back during the one-day international series in England last year and had surgery in October.

Cummins returns as captain after missing the tour of Sri Lanka because of the birth of his second child in February as well as being ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year because of an ankle injury.

Fellow pace bowler Josh Hazlewood is included after missing the Sri Lanka series with a hip injury, while teenage opener Sam Konstas could make his first overseas appearance after his debut in the Australian summer.

Rabada is one of six quick bowlers in the Proteas group, with Lungi Ngidi – who has not played Test cricket since last August – preferred over 19-year-old Kwena Maphaka.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett

“We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad,” Australia chief selector George Bailey said.

“The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade.

“Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now present us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the WTC.”

“A key part of our success has been consistency in selection, and we’ve stuck with the core group of players who have been part of this WTC cycle,” said South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad.

“We’ve selected a balanced squad for the conditions we expect at Lord’s.

A number of players from each squad could face a quick turnaround before the final given the Indian Premier League now only finishes eight days earlier.

Cricket Australia said on Tuesday it was working with the government and India’s cricket authority the BCCI with regard to security arrangements, with several players poised to decide whether to return to the IPL when it resumes this week.

The world’s biggest franchise league was suspended on Friday amid the ongoing tensions between India and neighbouring Pakistan.

The BCCI announced on Monday the remaining 17 games would resume on 17 May, with the final rescheduled for 3 June.

“Following the announcement that the Indian Premier League will resume on Saturday, Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.