Lungi Ngidi Ruled Out of Australia ODIs With Hamstring Injury, Nqobani Mokoena Called Up

South Africa have suffered another injury setback ahead of their three-match ODI series against Australia, with fast bowler Lungi Ngidi ruled out after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Ngidi suffered the injury during the domestic first-class season opener between the Titans and Dolphins last week. Scans conducted on Wednesday confirmed that the right-arm quick will require a period of rehabilitation, ruling him out of the upcoming ODI series.

The 30-year-old becomes the third South African seamer to miss the series after Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman were also sidelined with injuries.

Ngidi bowled eight overs in each innings of the match against the Dolphins, while spending some periods off the field. He returned to the action and was present at the end of the game. His workload was significantly lower than that of fellow fast bowlers Marco Jansen and Beyers Swanepoel, who bowled 26 and 20.3 overs respectively.

South Africa have named 20-year-old Nqobani Mokoena as Ngidi's replacement. Mokoena earned his maiden ODI cap during South Africa's recent tour of Namibia and has now been handed another opportunity at international level.

Mokoena was involved in a first-class match for the Dolphins against Western Province, where he bowled 19 overs on the opening day and finished with figures of 1 for 78. He has since been withdrawn from the game to link up with the national squad, with Bayanda Majola replacing him.

The Proteas' pace attack for the Australia ODIs will be led by Marco Jansen, while Duan Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee and Kwena Maphaka provide further fast-bowling options.

However, Ngidi's injury could have bigger implications for South Africa beyond the ODI series. His availability for the three-Test series against Australia, beginning on October 9, will only be assessed closer to the start of the series.

South Africa are already monitoring the fitness of Rabada, who suffered a hamstring injury during winter training and has not played competitive cricket since featuring in the Indian Premier League in May.

With several frontline fast bowlers unavailable or carrying injury concerns, South Africa face an increasingly difficult challenge in managing their bowling resources ahead of the crucial Test series.