Australia’s three-Test series against South Africa kicks off on Saturday at 11:20am (AEDT) at The Gabba in Brisbane with it the first Test series between the nations since Australia’s infamous ball-tampering saga in Cape Town in 2018.
With Australia atop the ICC World Test Championship standings and South Africa second, there is a tonne to play for this series as South Africa makes their first Test trip down under since 2016.
The last time these sides met ended in a bloodbath win South Africa winning three-straight matches to take out the series on home soil including a 492-run final Test victory in Johannesburg.
Captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and opener Cameron Bancroft were sent home after the third Test in Cape Town after conspiring to tamper with the ball on the third day leaving Australian cricket in one of its weakest positions in recent memory.
Now with number one ranked Test bowler Pat Cummins, number one ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne, and new head coach Andrew McDonald at the helm, the Australians will be eager to do a job against a strong South African side in preparation for a major 2023 of Test cricket which will see them compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India and The Ashes in England.
They are fresh off a 2-0 defeat of the West Indies in which Labuschagne was named Player of the Series.
Labuschagne has not faced South Africa – the country in which he was born and spent the first decade of his life – in his 27-match Test career.
South Africa, meanwhile, have played four Test series this year; they beat India 2-1 at home, drew one-all with the Kiwis in New Zealand, swept Bangladesh 2-0 at home and were beaten 2-1 in England.
Captain Dean Elgar will open the batting alongside Sarel Erwee for South Africa with the number three slot up for grabs after Keegan Petersen tore his hamstring last month and Aiden Markram was omitted from the squad.
Rassie van der Dussen batted at three for the South Africans in their tour match against Australia XI and appears a chance of taking up that role in Brisbane.
Vice-captain Temba Bavuma – who missed South Africa’s tour of England – firms as an option to bat at four as he did against Bangladesh earlier this year with Khaya Zondo and Theunis de Bruyn the likely options to bat at five.
Wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne should get the nod at six with bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen perhaps elevated to seven.
Spinner Keshav Maharaj and quicks Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Anrich Nortje are expected to round out the side.
Australia’s squad is largely settled aside from Josh Hazlewood’s absence due to a side strain.
Hazlewood missed the second Test against the West Indies along with skipper Cummins, who is expected to return to the side in Brisbane.
Scott Boland and Michael Neser were the two promoted to the side with Boland expected to retain his spot for the first Test against South Africa.
Veterans Warner and Usman Khawaja will open the batting for Australia with Labuschagne – the world’s number one ranked Test batter, Smith – the world’s number two ranked Test batter, and Travis Head – the world’s number seven ranked Test batter – making up the middle order.
All-rounder Cameron Green and wicket-keeper Alex Carey will bat at six and seven with Cummins, Boland, Mitchell Starc and offspinner Nathan Lyon rounding out the squad.
Starc requires just four wickets to become the seventh Australian ever to reach 300 Test wickets whilst Elgar is just 29 runs away from becoming the eighth South African ever to reach 5,000 Test runs.
Australia – who have lost just one of their past 12 Test and two of their past 19 on home soil – enter the series as favourites.
