South Africa have not played a Test since November, and Australia have won their last three at Kingsmead
The top two in the World Test Championship table meet in Durban on Friday, with Kagiso Rabada a late call and Cameron Green out.
Oct 8, 2026
South Africa beat Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June 2025. On Friday, 9 October, the two sides meet in a Test again, this time at Kingsmead in Durban, in the first of three. Play starts at 9.30am local time, which is 1pm IST.
They come into it as the top two in the 2025-27 table. Australia have won eight of their ten Tests in this cycle for 80 per cent of the available points. South Africa have won three of four for 75 per cent.
Over ten months without a Test
That second figure hides something. South Africa have not played a Test since they beat India by 408 runs in Guwahati last November to finish a 2-0 series win. Temba Bavuma’s side have won nine of their last ten Tests, but they go into a series against the side top of the table without a Test since late November.
Australia’s August was messier. They lost to Bangladesh by nine wickets in Darwin, then won the second Test in Mackay by an innings and 51 runs. Before that came a 4-1 Ashes win at home.
South Africa did take the one-day series that opened this tour 2-1, though the white-ball games will not tell anyone much about how a Kingsmead pitch plays on day four.
Australia like Durban
Australia have won their last three Tests at Kingsmead: by 112 runs in 2006, by 175 runs in 2009 and by 118 runs in 2018. South Africa’s last Test win over Australia in Durban came in March 2002.
The 2018 series is also the last time Australia played Tests in South Africa. The hosts won that one 3-1, and it is remembered mostly for the ball-tampering in Cape Town. Overall Australia lead the head-to-head with 54 wins to South Africa’s 27, with 21 draws in 102 Tests.
Rabada a late call, Green out
Kagiso Rabada is in South Africa’s 18-man squad, but a hamstring injury kept him out of the ODIs and he has not played a match for South Africa on this tour. He came through a two-day intra-squad game on Sunday and Monday, and the medical team will decide on Friday morning. “He’s still standing. He still looks strong,” Bavuma said. Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka are all missing with hamstring problems of their own, so Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch, Dane Paterson and the returning Anrich Nortje are the other seam options.
Australia have two holes to fill. Cameron Green strained an abdominal muscle in the third ODI at Potchefstroom and misses the first Test, and Josh Inglis has a fractured finger. Nic Maddinson has been recalled and the uncapped Sam Harper added to the squad, with Maddinson or Cooper Connolly likely to bat at five. Coach Andrew McDonald has said Green is not expected to bowl in the series even once he is fit to play again.
My lean is South Africa, just. Australia’s record here is hard to ignore, but they are a batter and a seam-bowling all-rounder down, and a home attack with Jansen and Simon Harmer in it does not need Rabada to be at full pace to cause problems. The rust is the risk. If South Africa’s top order is slow to find its feet on Friday, Australia have the bowlers to make them pay.