Australia kicks off a three-match Test series against South Africa in Durban this Friday, marking their first visit to the country for a Test match since the 2018 ball-tampering incident. While the event significantly impacted the sport globally, visitors currently expect little more than minor heckling from the crowds. That 2018 scandal, involving sandpaper to roughen the ball for reverse swing in Cape Town, resulted in major disciplinary action, including bans for former captain Steve Smith and others. And aid reverse swing, in Cape Town in March 2018 were caught on camera and led to a major reckoning for the game in Australia, with captain Steve Smith among those banned for their role in the subterfuge, the tourists’ efforts to roughen up the ball using sandpaper. And Australia have toured South Africa in the interim for limited-overs internationals, south Africa have played Tests in Australia since ‘Sandpapergate’.
The current landscape has shifted significantly. While the Australian press has focused heavily on the upcoming return, the topic has seen minimal media traction in South Africa. South Africa enters the series fresh from a victory against Australia in last year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s. They are now working to secure a spot in the 2025-27 WTC final, while Australia seeks redemption following a surprise home series loss to Bangladesh in August, ahead of their upcoming Ashes tour to England next June.
Kingsmead’s pitch is expected to favor spinners rather than the traditional South African seamer-friendly surfaces. South Africa has relied heavily on spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj during recent successes, including a winning series against Australia in the recent ODIs. As a result, the home team may choose to rest pace bowler Kagiso Rabada to manage his recovery from a hamstring injury. But Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj wreaked havoc in India last November when they triumphed in their last two Test outings, it is unusual for South Africa’s chances to be largely entrusted to their spin attack. Spin was also a key factor for the home side as they beat Australia in the recent One-Day International (ODI) series.
Personnel challenges affect both sides. Australia’s squad is navigating injuries, specifically to all-rounder Cameron Green and a finger fracture for Josh Inglis. This has opened a spot at number five for either Cooper Connolly or 34-year-old Nic Maddinson, who is making a potential return following his cancer recovery. Meanwhile, South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad is weighing options for the number three batting position, with 30-year-old Marques Ackerman potentially in line for his first international cap. Made in a podcast, was about the recall of Nic Maddinson, who has been out of Test cricket for nearly 10 years, but who joined the squad in South Africa after Josh Inglis fractured his finger and Green suffered a stomach injury, the reference.
Tensions remain regarding team selection, leading to a sharp response from Australian opener Travis Head. Following criticism from former players, including Matthew Hayden, regarding the recall of veteran Maddinson, Head defended the squad’s depth. Hayden, speaking on a podcast, accused selectors of “promoting the greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a generation of cricket” and suggested that any Test selection should require a first-class average of 45 or higher.
Head rejected these claims, stating that the criticism feels unfair and is coming from past players who are essentially “putting a bullet through a lot of players.” Although Head admitted that pundits are paid for their opinions and that some may be looking for work, he maintained that the current team is mentally resilient enough to handle the negative feedback. Despite Maddinson’s first-class average of 37.11, Head emphasized the value of experience in the Test arena, defending the team’s current direction despite the intense scrutiny from former legends. “I think it’s unfairly judged a fair bit from a group of past players, pretty much that put the bullet through a lot of players, which I think is unfair,” Head said.
