South Africa v Australia, second Test: match preview | cricket.com.au
Get the broadcast info, latest team news, start times and more for the second match of the series
South Africa v Australia, second Test: match preview
Match facts
Who: South Africa v Australia
What: Second Test, Qantas Tour of South Africa
When: October 18-22, first ball 10am local (7pm AEDT)
Where: St George's Park, Gqeberha
Live scores: Match Centre
How to watch: All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket
How to listen: Both ABC and SEN will be broadcasting this series for those who prefer to listen over the wireless.
News and reactions post-play: cricket.com.au and the CA Live app. The Unplayable Podcast will also be dropping a new episode after each day's play during the series. Join hosts Josh Schonafinger and Louis Cameron to recap all the action and talking points from South Africa. And you can listen to the back catalogue of episodes below.
Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple PodcastsListen on iHeart Radio
First Test session times
First Session: 10am – 12pm (7pm – 9pm AEDT)
Second Session: 12:40pm – 2:40pm (9:40pm – 11:40pm AEDT)
Third Session: 3pm – 5pm (12am – 2am AEDT)
*An extra 30 minutes is available to complete daily overs
Full series schedule
First Test: Australia won by 214 runs in Durban
Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)
Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)
The squads
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne
South Africa have made a sole change to their rather large squad from the first Test with Tristan Stubbs dropped after one match for the in-form ODI star Matthew Breetzke. Breetzke scored a century against Australia in the ODI series in Durban and looks all but certain to add to his two Tests with the news that Kyle Verreynne will relinquish the gloves to Ryan Rickelton. Tony de Zorzi is still unavailable with a hamstring strain.
All the bowlers have been retained in the group with Kagiso Rabada firming for a return.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Josh Inglis returns to the squad after he briefly returned home to Perth with a broken finger. He appears to be ticking all the boxes in his return to full fitness. Cameron Green is the big watch as he recovers from an abdominal strain but is racing the clock for the second Test.
The possible XIs
South Africa XI (possible): Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee
All signs point to Kagiso Rabada being fit for South Africa's must-win Test in Gqeberha which would be a huge boost for the home side. Although he delivered some hostile spells and some corking deliveries, Anrich Nortje shapes as the logical bowler to make way after a heavy workload in his first red-ball match in over three years.
It's already been announced that Ryan Rickelton will assume the role as wicketkeeper which means Verreynne will ride the bench. With Verreynne and Stubbs both gone from the top seven, expect to see Marques Ackerman and Breetzke fill the vacant slots. Ackerman is a 30-year-old top-order batter who has dominated domestic cricket for the past few seasons and recently scored a double century for South Africa A.
SA's choice to pick two spinners was the big talking point ahead of game one but it backfired, with both Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj proving largely ineffective. Harmer could be the unlucky one to make way if the hosts decide to retain Nortje or play another seamer, with Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch and Dane Peterson all in the squad.
Australia XI (possible): Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Australia's big victory in the first Test came after they found themselves 6-124 in the first innings but from that point on they bossed the game. All the players who aren't locks in the side got runs - Nic Maddinson hit 48 and Beau Webster hit 39no in the second innings while Matt Renshaw dominated with 190 and 82.
While Cameron Green (abdominal strain) and Josh Inglis (broken finger) will push their cases, an unchanged line up would be the safe assumption, especially with Green not quite at full capacity.
Players to watch
Kagiso Rabada: The South African spearhead is box office to watch and should return to the XI for the second Test. His inclusion will give the Proteas attack a much-needed spark and he won't be afraid to get into the face of his opponents. His Test strike rate is phenomenal, taking a wicket every 39.5 balls, but it's even lower in the past four years at 36.6. He has a sensational record against Australia too, with 58 wickets at 21.39, which included nine wickets (match figures of 9-110) in the WTC final last year.
Alex Carey: The Australian wicketkeeper took another classic catch to add to his collection in Durban with a one-handed grab off Josh Hazlewood that broke a very important partnership in the final innings. He's enjoyed some brilliant form with the bat over the past 24 months but has now gone nine Test innings without passing 30. He will be as desperate as anyone to spend some time in the middle.
Local knowledge
St George's Park is most spin-friendly Test venue in South Africa since the Covid pandemic in 20220, with 40 wickets at 22.77 versus pace's 35 wickets at 34.17.
But this match represents uncharted territory for the venue. Not only is it the earliest Test cricket has been played in the 'summer' in Gqeberha, it's the first Test played here between mid-April and mid-November. Looking at the first-class scene over the past decade between September and November, pace bowlers are averaging a wicket every 26.94 runs compared to spin's 32.05.
Australia have had mixed results at the ground, with three wins and four losses from their seven Tests. The Proteas hold a two-match winning streak over the Aussies here with a 231-run win in 2014 followed by a six-wicket win in 2018.
Form guide
Past 10 matches, most recent first. W: win, L: loss, D: draw
South Africa: LWWWLWWWWW
The loss in Durban was the first under Temba Bavuma's captaincy and only the second loss in the past 10 for the World Test champions.
Australia: WWLWLWWWWW
Australia improved their record to wins from 11 since the WTC final in 2025 with a big win in Durban.
World Test Championship
It's no longer 1v2 as South Africa's loss in the first Test saw them drop below New Zealand into third spot on the standings.
Although South Africa dropped a Test to Pakistan, their 2-0 win over India has put them in a strong position to qualify for the 2027 decider as well with plenty of home Tests coming up.
Australia meanwhile need to continue banking wins. Even though they have started strongly, a few dropped games against SA, or against New Zealand or India to come would see them slide down the rankings.
Qantas tour of South Africa 2026
First Test: Australia won by 214 runs in Durban
Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)
Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)
South Africa's second Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster