No matter who sits out, South Africa find a way to win: Kagiso Rabada

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test against India here due to a rib injury, is in awe of his team’s ability to rebound from setbacks and “find a way to win” no matter who is left out.

The reigning World Test Championship winners completed a 30-run win inside three days over India in the opening Test here defending a modest 123 on Sunday. The win, which was their first on Indian soil in 15 years, gave them an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

“No matter who sits out, we can still find a way to win. (Skipper) Temba (Bavuma) has been crucial for us, but he hasn’t played every game. I haven’t played this game,” Rabada said in a video shared by Cricket South Africa.

Bavuma returned to the playing XI after missing their preceding two Tests in Pakistan, where South Africa bounced back to draw the series 1-1.

“That doesn’t matter. Whoever is gonna get out on the field, we believe that they can do the job,” Rabada said.

The visitors outplayed the hosts on a dry wicket here with variable bounce and turn. Rabada hailed South Africa’s individual performances, including skipper Bavuma’s match-winning 55 in the second innings that gave the travelling bowlers something to fight for.

“We had a good start in the first innings with Aiden (Markram) and (Ryan) Rickelton. They set the tone. Marco (Jansen) stood up, Boschi (Corbin Bosch) stood up at crucial times. Everyone chipped in and really, that’s the hallmark of what this team is made of,” Rabada said.

It remains to be seen if Rabada, who had to undergo multiple scans in the lead-up to the first Test, would be available for the second Test to be played in Guwahati from November 22-26.

Rabada said the victory in a low-scoring thriller at Kolkata would rank among the top three wins for South Africa this season.

“(The victory is) definitely right up there. With the types of wins that we’ve had this season, it’s hard to say, because we’ve had some pretty epic wins, but this one is definitely (in the) top three,” he said.

“That was typical Test cricket (contest)… I mean, just the ebbs and flows of the game. We found ourselves on the back foot, and then somehow managed to finish on the front foot.”

“It was quite nerve-wracking on the side, and I’m just itching to want to get out. I don’t know what to say. It’s just... it’s just, like, an emotional roller coaster, and I’m glad that we finished on the right side,” Rabada added.