Australia’s tour of South Africa runs from September 24 to October 31, 2026, covering three ODIs followed by a three-match Test series that forms part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle.
It marks Australia’s first red-ball trip to South Africa since the infamous 2018 tour, and reunites the two most recent WTC finalists — with Temba Bavuma’s Proteas defending their 2025 title on home soil against Pat Cummins’ table-topping Australians.
Australia Tour of South Africa 2026: Schedule and Key Dates
Before diving into the squads, it helps to see how the tour is structured. The white-ball leg comes first, followed by a short turnaround into the traditional format at three venues steeped in Australia–South Africa cricket history.
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | September 24, 2026 | Kingsmead Stadium, Durban |
| 2nd ODI | September 27, 2026 | Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg |
| 3rd ODI (D/N) | September 30, 2026 | JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom |
| Warm-up match | October 3–4, 2026 | JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom |
| 1st Test | October 9–13, 2026 | Kingsmead Stadium, Durban |
| 2nd Test | October 18–22, 2026 | St George’s Park, Gqeberha |
| 3rd Test | October 27–31, 2026 | Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town |
The series closing at Newlands adds an extra storyline, since it’s the same ground where the 2018 ball-tampering scandal unfolded — a moment that still shapes how this Australia vs South Africa 2026 contest is being framed by fans and media on both sides.
Australia Squad for South Africa 2026: Test and ODI Teams Explained
Cricket Australia has named separate squads and separate captains for each format, splitting the leadership load the same way it did on the earlier Zimbabwe leg of this African tour.
Australia Test Squad vs South Africa 2026
Chief selector George Bailey’s panel has backed experience for the away conditions, with Marnus Labuschagne retained in the middle order and Michael Neser and Beau Webster added as extra seam and all-round cover.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Pat Cummins (c) | Fast bowler |
| Scott Boland | Fast bowler |
| Alex Carey | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Cooper Connolly | All-rounder |
| Cameron Green | All-rounder |
| Josh Hazlewood | Fast bowler |
| Travis Head | Batter |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Matthew Kuhnemann | Spinner |
| Marnus Labuschagne | Batter |
| Nathan Lyon | Spinner |
| Michael Neser | Fast bowler |
| Matthew Renshaw | Batter |
| Steve Smith | Batter |
| Mitchell Starc | Fast bowler |
| Beau Webster | All-rounder |
Only five of these 16 players — Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, Smith and Renshaw — have previously toured South Africa in Test cricket, which underlines just how unfamiliar this squad is with Highveld bounce and Cape Town swing compared with the touring parties of the past.
Australia ODI Squad for South Africa 2026
The 50-over group is led by Mitchell Marsh, with Cummins and Starc named only for the South African leg of the wider white-ball tour as their workloads are carefully managed heading toward next year’s ODI World Cup.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Mitchell Marsh (c) | All-rounder |
| Pat Cummins | Fast bowler (South Africa matches only) |
| Xavier Bartlett | Fast bowler |
| Alex Carey | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Cooper Connolly | All-rounder |
| Joel Davies | Batter |
| Nathan Ellis | Fast bowler |
| Cameron Green | All-rounder |
| Josh Hazlewood | Fast bowler |
| Travis Head | Batter |
| Josh Inglis | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Spencer Johnson | Fast bowler |
| Oliver Peake | Batter |
| Matthew Renshaw | Batter |
| Billy Stanlake | Fast bowler |
| Mitchell Starc | Fast bowler (South Africa matches only) |
| Adam Zampa | Spinner |
Adam Zampa is the lone specialist spinner in the ODI squad, which tells you plenty about how Cricket Australia expects these pitches to play compared with the subcontinent — quick, true, and built for pace battles rather than turn.
South Africa Squad vs Australia 2026: ODI and Test Teams
Cricket South Africa has locked in its white-ball group around a settled top order, while the Test squad is still being finalised closer to the Kingsmead opener.
South Africa ODI Squad for the Australia Series
Temba Bavuma captains a group built on home experience, though the pace attack has taken a couple of late hits ahead of the series.
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma (c) | Batter |
| Ottneil Baartman | Bowler |
| Corbin Bosch | All-rounder |
| Matthew Breetzke | Batter |
| Gerald Coetzee | Bowler |
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Tony de Zorzi | Batter |
| Bjorn Fortuin | Bowler |
| Marco Jansen | All-rounder |
| Keshav Maharaj | Bowler |
| Kwena Maphaka | Bowler |
| Aiden Markram | All-rounder |
| David Miller | Batter |
| Ryan Rickelton | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter |
Lungi Ngidi was subsequently ruled out with a hamstring injury and Nqobani Mokoena was called up in his place, while an injured Ottneil Baartman was later replaced by Duan Jansen — a reminder that ODI squads for a six-match tour rarely stay fixed for long, and fans following the Australia vs South Africa 2026 series closely should expect further late changes as the tour progresses.
South Africa Test Squad: Expected Line-up vs Australia
South Africa’s Test squad had not been formally announced at the time of writing, but the likely group draws heavily on the reigning WTC champions’ settled red-ball core.
| Player | Role | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Temba Bavuma (c) | Batter | Test |
| Aiden Markram | Batter/all-rounder | Test |
| Tony de Zorzi | Opening batter | Test |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter | Test |
| Dewald Brevis | Batter/all-rounder | Test |
| Kyle Verreynne (wk) | Wicketkeeper-batter | Test |
| Wiaan Mulder | All-rounder | Test |
| Marco Jansen | All-rounder | Test |
| Corbin Bosch | All-rounder | Test |
| Kagiso Rabada | Fast bowler | Test |
| Lungi Ngidi | Fast bowler | Test |
| Simon Harmer | Spinner | Test |
| Senuran Muthusamy | Spin-bowling all-rounder | Test |
Given the overlap already visible in the confirmed ODI squad, expect most of these names to carry across into the final Test XV once it’s officially named ahead of the Durban opener.
Captaincy and Leadership: Who’s Leading Each Side
| Team | Format | Captain | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Test | Pat Cummins | Confirmed |
| Australia | ODI | Mitchell Marsh | Confirmed |
| South Africa | ODI | Temba Bavuma | Confirmed |
| South Africa | Test | Temba Bavuma (expected) | Unconfirmed |
Steve Smith remains Australia’s proven deputy if Cummins is rested or unavailable for any Test, a role he filled through the recent home Ashes summer.
Player Spotlight: Key Names to Watch in the Australia–South Africa 2026 Series
- Pat Cummins (Australia, Test captain) — Leading Australia into South Africa for the first time in his career, Cummins carries a dual job: managing his own workload as strike bowler while directing a Test squad with limited South African experience. He’s already beaten these same Proteas in one WTC final and lost to them in the next, adding a personal edge to this rubber.
- Temba Bavuma (South Africa, captain) — Bavuma took over the Test captaincy in February 2023, becoming the first black African to hold the role, and has since led South Africa to the WTC mace. Defending that title on home turf against the top-ranked Test side in the world is arguably the biggest assignment of his captaincy.
- Steve Smith (Australia, batter) — Still regarded as Australia’s premier player of moving-ball bowling, Smith’s returning to South Africa for the first time since the 2018 tour that defined so much of the rivalry’s recent history. His output in Durban, Gqeberha and Cape Town will heavily influence how competitive Australia’s middle order looks.
- Marco Jansen (South Africa, all-rounder) — The tall left-arm seamer offers South Africa genuine pace, bounce and handy lower-order runs across both formats, making him one of the most valuable all-format assets on either side.
- Mitchell Marsh (Australia, ODI captain) — Leading the white-ball side adds fresh scrutiny to Marsh’s own batting form heading into a series that doubles as preparation for next year’s ODI World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa.
- Nathan Lyon (Australia, spinner) — Carrying Australia’s spin workload across a five-venue tour, Lyon’s control on used surfaces late in each Test could prove decisive, particularly at Newlands in the series finale.
- Kagiso Rabada (South Africa, fast bowler) — Expected to lead South Africa’s pace attack once the Test squad is confirmed, Rabada remains the Proteas’ biggest wicket-taking threat with the new ball on his own patch.
Conclusion
This Australia tour of South Africa 2026 squad breakdown covers everything fans need — six matches from September 24 to October 31, separate leadership groups under Cummins, Marsh and Bavuma, and a Test series carrying real WTC weight.
With Australia’s first red-ball trip to South Africa since 2018 and South Africa defending their WTC crown, both squads bring plenty of storylines, injury changes, and player battles worth tracking match by match.
