Maddinson, Harper added to Test squad as injuries mount

Nic Maddinson, only a year removed from beating cancer, is in the mix for an astonishing Test comeback in South Africa after the 34-year-old was added to Australia's squad alongside Sam Harper.

Confirmation that Josh Inglis will not be available for the first Test due to his fractured right finger has seen Maddinson added as a back-up batter and Harper, fresh off an Australia A ton this week, as the reserve wicketkeeper.

Along with Cooper Connolly, Maddinson, who did not play any first-class cricket last summer after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer in 2025, could come into the frame after Cameron Green was confirmed to have suffered an abdominal strain in Wednesday's third ODI in Potchefstroom.

The Aussies are believed to be hopeful Green will be fit for the series opener in Durban despite the strain being confirmed by scans on Thursday morning.

There was better news for Test opener Matthew Renshaw, who was hit on the right hand in the same 50-over game, with medicos clearing him of any damage.

"Sam gives us wicketkeeping cover as Josh continues his recovery while Nic provides flexibility throughout the batting order," selection boss George Bailey said.

Mitch Marsh had been touted by Pat Cummins as a possible addition to the Test squad but the white-ball captain was set to fly home to Perth on Thursday for the pending birth of his second child.

Kurtis Patterson is another who may have been in the mix but he injured his groin playing in NSW's One-Day Cup opener last week.

Harper has emerged as the best-performed batter from the ongoing Australia A tour, earning his maiden international call-up on the back of a career-best 677-run Shield season, thriving in a counter-attacking role up the order for minor premiers Victoria.

The 29-year-old's 128 off 223 balls in Puducherry against India A marked his fourth 90-plus score from his last eight innings. For now, with Alex Carey firmly entrenched as Test keeper, Harper would likely need another injury in the coming days to make his Test debut.

But in picking Maddinson alongside him, selectors have overlooked the rest of the A squad's specialist batters, as well as the leading Sheffield Shield performers from recent seasons, among them recently dropped opener Jake Weatherald.

Maddinson, who has not featured at Test level in almost a decade or in a first-class match for 18 months, is one of the most left-field Australian selection calls in recent memory.

In April 2025, he was diagnosed with cancer after discovering a tumour. He underwent surgery and nine weeks of chemotherapy after tests had found the cancer had spread.

"By the second or third week, I lost all my hair," he told Nine newspapers last year. "I was taking types of steroids to manage side effects, but they would keep me up at night … It was the slowest and longest nine weeks."

Maddinson returned to play five BBL games for Sydney Thunder and one red-ball second XI game. Despite not featuring at Shield level at all last season, he was nonetheless named the Blues captain for this season.

Like Harper, he will arrive in South Africa in good touch having struck a 127-ball 126 in the One-Day Cup for NSW against Victoria earlier this week.

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs

Second ODI: South Africa beat Australia by 32 runs

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Marsh, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

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 first Test preliminary squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster