Anrich Nortje named in South Africa's preliminary squad for Australia Test series

Anrich Nortje has been included in South Africa's 18-player preliminary squad for the first Test against Australia at Kingsmead, marking a significant return to red-ball cricket. The squad was named on Monday, September 28, with the group set to gather in Durban on October 1. The first Test is scheduled for October 9-13 at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.

Nortje has not played Test cricket since February 2023, when he featured in Shukri Conrad's first series as red-ball coach against West Indies. During his Test career, the fast bowler took 70 wickets in 19 matches. Since his last first-class appearance in February 2023, Nortje has focused exclusively on T20 cricket, stepping away from the longer format.

Conrad said that a two-day intra-squad match and some scenario-based training will give the team management and selectors a chance to pick the final 15 members in the squad.

"We’ll have a couple of training days, a two-day intra-squad match and scenario-based training, which will give us an opportunity to assess the group and conditions before settling on our final 15," Conrad was quoted as saying by Times Live.

"Having a larger bowling group gives us the flexibility to cover all bases. We have different options across the squad and the next week will give us an opportunity to determine which combinations are best suited to the conditions," he added.

Rabada's fitness and injury concerns

Conrad also hoped that talismanic pacer Kagiso Rabada will be available for the first Test and asserted that the two-day game will give a clear idea about where his fitness stands.

"We also want to give Kagiso every chance of being available for selection for the first Test, and the two-day game will give us a clearer picture of where he is in terms of his match readiness," selector said.

Notable squad inclusions

Marques Ackerman earns his maiden Test call-up at age 30 after scoring more than 1,000 runs in his last 10 first-class appearances for SA A at an average of 82.92, including four centuries and a career-best 256 against Bangladesh A in August. Gerald Coetzee has made his international comeback from injury in the first ODI against Australia last week, having last played a Test in November 2024. Dane Paterson further bolsters the seam-bowling line-up.

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South Africa's preliminary Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne