SA vs AUS 2026: First Test match preview

In a mouth-watering and highly anticipated clash, South Africa hosts Australia in the first Test of the three-match series at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban on Friday, October 9th.

This series carries relevance and historical significance for multiple reasons. This is a clash between two teams who are once again favourites for the ICC World Test Championship, and meet for the first time since the Proteas beat the Aussies by five wickets in the finals of the previous cycle at Lord's.

This is also the first time the two teams are meeting in a Test series in South Africa since 2018, when a thrilling and enthralling contest between the two teams was marred by the controversies of the 'Sandpaper-Gate' incident, where Aussie batter Cameron Bancroft was caught on the official broadcast rubbing the ball with sandpaper during the third Test of the series in Cape Town. Adding another layer to the story, then Australia captain Steve Smith returns to South Africa after the incident saw him lose his captaincy and face a one-year ban from cricket.

Temba Bavuma's side, the defending WTC champions, will be playing their first Test since their historic 2-0 sweep of India away from home in late 2025. They will be without ace speedster Kagiso Rabada, who suffers from a severe hamstring issue, with a cloud of uncertainty looming around his availability for this series. The series kicks off South Africa's home season, where they host England and Bangladesh in two high-profile tours alongside the Aussies.

Pat Cummins' side comes into this series looking to rein in the demons of the past, but they are also not shy of concerns of their own bubbling underneath. The form of Marnus Labuschagne has been a talking point, with the South Africa-born batter averaging just 24.69 since July 2023, but his century in the warm-up game in Potchefstroom is a promising sign. The Aussies will be without wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who suffered a broken finger, and all-rounder Cameron Green, who is nursing an abdominal injury.

SA vs AUS: Match Details

Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban: Pitch Report

The pitch at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban is one of those that have changed its nature in the recent past. Earlier known as a hotbed for fast bowlers, the natural surface has now flattened out, with batters able to score freely in the first two days. The pitch then tends to slow down by the end of Day 3, bringing spinners into play for the final legs of the match. Captains winning the toss would ideally prefer batting first on this track

SA vs AUS: Head-to-Head Record in Tests

SA vs AUS: Predicted Playing 11s

South Africa

Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje.

Australia

Matt Renshaw, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.