3 bowlers who can replace Lungi Ngidi for Pakistan's tour to SA

The Proteas were dealt a massive blow when it was announced that star pace bowler Lungi Ngidi has been ruled out of action for around three months due to a knee injury he picked up in Australia. The talented bowler has also been replaced in the Mzansi Super League.

The injury was sustained by Ngidi during the one-off T20 match between South Africa and Australia and now means that the pace bowler will have to sit out during the season between South Africa and Pakistan this summer.

Ngidi has been an integral part of the South African bowling line-up and his injury comes as somewhat of a blow to the South African side as they prepare for the ICC World Cup in England next year. Coach Ottis Gibson has made it clear that he intends for Ngidi to be part of a three bowler pace attack at the World Cup alongside Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, so the injury to the young bowler does come at a very unfortunate time especially with such an important series ahead. While Ngidi does look set to return before the World Cup, South Africa will need to find a suitable replacement for Ngidi for the upcoming series against Pakistan.

Fortunately for South Africa, their country is one which seems to be able to produce quality fast bowlers almost at will. While Ngidi will be sorely missed and could have used the series against Pakistan to fine tune his game ahead of the World Cup, this does provide an opportunity for other bowlers in the country to put their hands up for selection and to show the world just what they can do if they are given a chance.

While there are many such bowlers in South Africa, this article will take a closer look at three bowlers who have been impressive and who have showed that they do have the potential to perform on the international stage on a regular basis. While Ngidi does leave big shoes to fill, these talented bowlers may do a more than good enough job and may give the selectors a thing or two to think about once Ngidi does return.

#1 Chris Morris

As an all-rounder, Chris Morris offers something with both bat and ball, and this is something that the South African selectors and coaching staff will definitely want to consider. The ability of a team to score runs at the bottom of the order is a crucial one, and one feels that Morris could easily slot into the line-up after Quinton de Kock. This means that he would be batting at number 8, which would easily make him one of the best number 8 batsmen in Test cricket at the moment.

His height and the ability to bowl the ball at pace make him a suitable replacement for Morkel. He has shown that he does have the ability to extract bounce from the surface, and this is an important feature to his bowling which the South Africans will want in their bowling attack and something which will challenge the Pakistani batsmen.

#2 Duanne Olivier

Duanne Olivier has been in and out of the South African Test side, but Ngidi's injury could give him a chance to create a more permanent place in the squad.

He hits the deck hard, which is something that South Africa will surely want from their bowling attack. Whilst he hasn't quite made the explosive impact on the international scene as Ngidi or Rabada, he still remains a lethal prospect who could terrorize batsmen across the world for years to come.

Olivier has been impressive in the Mzansi Super League and is showing signs of maturing as well as improving his game. His aggression with the ball is something which will be appealing to the South African selectors especially against the Pakistani batsmen and he will want to use this series as an opportunity to cement his place in the South African test side.

He does possess a lot of talent and skill, and he will be looking for an extended run in the South African side to demonstrate this.

#3 Wiaan Mulder

Wiaan Mulder hasn't featured in the South African Test squad as yet, however, the young man promises to be an exciting prospect for the future. He has been in and out of the South African ODI squad, and while he has not yet cemented his place in the team, his all-rounder abilities do provide an appealing replacement for the injured Ngidi.

He made his debut for South Africa in an ODI against Bangladesh last year, and while he may have only contributed 2 runs with the bat, he returned figures of 1/32 off 8 overs with the ball.

These figures do not reflect on the quality of the young man. Domestically, he is consistently one of the top performers and as an all-rounder, he offers something with both bat and ball.

At just over 20 years of age, he has a long way to go. However, he has enormous potential, and getting him into the South African side now might develop him into one of the leading all-rounders in Test cricket in years to come.