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Rabada confident he can assess his own fitness

Cape Town - Proteas star bowler Kagiso Rabada says that he can judge accordingly and truthfully on his fitness as uncertainty increases over his selection in the remaining ODI games in New Zealand.

As a precaution, Rabada was rested for the second ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch due to a sore knee, but he returned to deliver a stellar performance of 2/39, as the Proteas defeated the Black Caps in the third ODI.

Rabada admitted that although he's uncertain whether he'll play in Hamilton, he feels he can make his own call on whether he'll be fresh and fit for Wednesday's fourth ODI.

"I'm not sure (if I'll be rested), but I feel fine. It's just precautionary action that is being taken since it's going to be a long season and I have been playing quite a lot," Rabada told reporters on Tuesday.

"I feel like I'm the main person when it comes to judging how I feel, but truthfully as well."

The fast bowler has had to deal with a heavy workload over the summer and still has to bowl a significant amount of overs in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, the Indian Premier League, the Champions Trophy and the England Test series.

"The longer I've played, the more I've learnt to manage myself with the help of the medical team who give me advice, which I take accordingly," said Rabada.

"You have to understand that sometimes you have to put your ego aside.

"First of all judge how I'm feeling and then take the necessarily actions."

Proteas head coach Russell Domingo reiterated that leaving a bowler of Rabada's calibre out is tough and said that the Proteas need to manage the 21-year-old's workload.

"But it's hard to leave KG out of the next game in Hamilton, he's a seriously good bowler... But we need to manage that carefully," said Domingo.

The Proteas lead the five-game ODI series 2-1, with the fourth ODI taking place on Wednesday, March 1 in Hamilton (03:00 SA time).

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