Inglis return to add to Australia's selection quandary

Josh Inglis will re-enter the selection frame before the end of the South Africa tour, with the injured wicketkeeper-batter to return to the squad ahead of the second Test.

Inglis had received positive news about his fractured finger in Perth this week and will fly to Gqeberha next week to join Australia's Test side and continue his recovery.

There Australian officials will be able to have a closer look at the 31-year-old, before deciding whether he is immediately fit for the second Test or third in Cape Town.

His return will add further intrigue to Australia's team selection for the rest of the tour, with Cameron Green also hopeful of returning from an abdominal strain.

Inglis would likely have played in the first Test in Durban after Green was ruled out, if not for the finger injury he suffered in the first ODI a week earlier.

Nic Maddinson was ultimately the man to come in after being called up to the squad, dismissed on Friday for a 33-ball duck after being picked to open.

Maddinson's selection has brought with it waves of criticism from former players, with the 34-year-old still having the second innings to bounce back in his first first-class match in more than 18 months.

If Inglis or Green do return, it could mean Matthew Renshaw returns to opening the batting despite scoring a stunning 190 from No.5 to rescue Australia's first innings in Durban.

Australia liked what they saw from the Queenslander batting in the middle-order in the ODI series, with his ability to remain busy against spin.

Renshaw was able to hold Australia's first innings together in Durban after they slumped to 6-124, forming crucial partnerships with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to lift the tourists to 390 all out on day two.

The 30-year-old said after play on Friday he was happy to move up and down the order as required, having last batted No.5 consistently for Queensland in late 2021.

"I just prepare as much as I can for whatever. With the one-dayers ... it shows I can be pretty versatile," Renshaw said.

"For me it's not too much of an issue. It's just waiting to bat. It's probably the toughest part for me and it's been a while since I've done that in red ball (cricket).

"We've seen a lot (of movement) in this team with different conditions, 'Heady' (Travis Head) going up to open.

"It's just being pretty versatile and pretty open with what we need to do."

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

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

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 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