Gibson: Steyn will be ‘good to go’ for first Sri Lanka Test
Proteas coach Ottis Gibson is happy with the progress that Dale Steyn had made from his injury and is confident the fast bowler will be ready for the first Test against Sri Lanka that starts on Thursday.
The 35-year-old Steyn played two first-class fixtures and three one-day games for English county side Hampshire last month to get some match fitness ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.
Gibson admitted that Steyn looked ‘little bit rusty’ in the warm-up game over the weekend, the paceman bowling 12 overs for 52 runs without taking a wicket.
The Proteas mentor though expects that Steyn will be “good to go” in Galle on Thursday.
ALSO READ: ‘Positive’ cricket key to subcontinent success – Gibson
Gibson said: “I’m happy with where Dale is at because he was playing in England.
“He came into the practice match and he looked a little bit rusty, I’m not going to lie. But we’re talking about one of the best fast bowlers of the modern generation.
“He knows what he needs to do to get himself up for a Test match and we’ve had a little chat today about what he needs to do for the remainder of the days building up to the Test match,” said the Proteas coach.
“He’ll be good to go by the time the Galle Test comes around.”
Steyn, who has taken 419 wickets in 86 Tests, needs another three scalps to become South Africa’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the longest format.
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