South Africa Test Squad For Australia: Nortje Returns After Three Years

The South Africa Test squad for the Australia series runs to 18 players. Kagiso Rabada is named while he recovers from a hamstring injury. Anrich Nortje is recalled for the first time since March 2023. The first Test starts at Kingsmead in Durban on 9 October. The squad assembles there on 1 October. Temba Bavuma captains. Three matches are scheduled.

Rabada's place in the eleven is not settled. ANI reported that his availability for Durban will be decided after an intra-squad match next week. He picked up the injury in winter training and has missed the ongoing one-day series against the same opponents. The ICC notes the series sits inside the current World Test Championship cycle.

The 18 named for Durban

• 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

Head coach Shukri Conrad put the size of the group down to bowling cover. "Having a larger bowling group gives us flexibility to cover all bases," he said. He added that the intra-squad game would settle "which combinations are best suited to the conditions".

A seam group thinned by hamstrings

Three quick bowlers are unavailable. Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka are all out with hamstring injuries. Rabada is working back from one. That is four frontline seam options in varying states of fitness. Hence 18 names rather than the usual 15.

Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee and Dane Paterson make up the fit pace group. Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy give three spin options for a Durban surface that traditionally turns.

Nortje back after three years

Nortje has not played a Test since March 2023. He is no longer on a Cricket South Africa central contract, and his inclusion is an extended-squad call rather than a guaranteed return to the eleven. Conrad framed it as a look rather than a selection.

"It's a great opportunity to get Anrich involved as soon as possible, being able to assess exactly where he is," the coach said.

Ackerman pushes for a top-three spot

Marques Ackerman is the one uncapped name. ANI reported that he has passed 1,000 runs for South Africa A and is in contention for a top-three position. Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton are the incumbents in that part of the order.

The rest of the batting is familiar. David Bedingham and Tristan Stubbs are in the middle order. Kyle Verreynne is the wicketkeeper in the group. Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen give the selectors two all-round options, which widens the number of workable attacks inside the same eleven.

A preliminary squad of this size is cut before the first ball. South Africa gather in Durban on 1 October, play among themselves, then name the eleven. Rabada and Nortje are the two calls that match week will settle.