South Africa have named their first Test XI without Kagiso Rabada for the series opener against Australia at Kingsmead, with Anrich Nortje returning for his first Test in three years, while Australia will wait until the toss amid a head-cold cloud over Cooper Connolly.
cricket.com.au reported that Temba Bavuma confirmed the Proteas’ side on the eve of the first Test in Durban, with Rabada ruled out after hurting his right hamstring in winter training. He has not played a match since the Indian Premier League in May. The ICC also reported the XI and Nortje’s return.
The first Test starts tonight at Kingsmead, with first ball at 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local). Coverage in Australia is on Kayo and Fox Cricket, according to cricket.com.au.
South Africa’s named XI
Per cricket.com.au, South Africa’s XI is: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Anrich Nortje.
Nortje will share the new ball with Marco Jansen. The hosts have picked two spinners in Maharaj and Harmer, with allrounder Mulder as the third seamer. cricket.com.au noted nine of the players who won the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2025 are in again, with Rabada and Lungi Ngidi (also a hamstring) the absentees from that top group.
Bavuma on Rabada and Nortje
“It was not an easy one,” Bavuma told reporters, according to cricket.com.au. “I think we did go the conservative route to give him a couple of extra days to get as close as he can be to 100 per cent fitness. As soon as he gets the green light, we expect him to to be within that starting lineup.”
South Africa are hopeful Rabada can play a part in the second Test in Gqeberha. On Nortje, who has not played a Test since March 2023, Bavuma said it was “hard to ignore his X-factor” and that he had been “very impressive in the nets,” making it “a calculated call to give Anrich a go.”
Australia wait on Connolly and the pitch
ABC News reported on Friday morning that Australia will wait until the toss to announce their first Test line-up. Cooper Connolly trained normally at Kingsmead but left wearing a mask after reporting a head cold, travelling separately from the team bus as a caution, the ABC said.
Australia are already without Cameron Green (abdominal strain) and Josh Inglis (fractured finger, back in Perth). Connolly and Nic Maddinson are in contention to come in for Green, the ABC reported, with Beau Webster also part of the balance discussion. Captain Pat Cummins said: “Everyone brings something a little bit different to it, and it’s just trying to work out what we think the best combo is.”
Green is a chance to return for the second Test, while Inglis is expected to fly back before the series ends, according to the ABC.
Series schedule
Per cricket.com.au: first Test October 9–13 at Kingsmead (6:30pm AEDT start); second Test October 18–22 at St George’s Park, Gqeberha (7pm AEDT); third Test October 27–31 at Newlands, Cape Town (7:30pm AEDT).
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