Rabada returns as Proteas weigh up further changes

Kagiso Rabada looks set to play his first competitive match in four-and-a-half months in the second Test against Australia after Temba Bavuma confirmed the South African spearhead was "available for selection".

Rabada missed the first Test with a hamstring strain and has not played since the IPL in May, but has ticked all the required boxes in his recovery and bowled at full capacity at training on Thursday and Friday.

While Bavuma did not name his side's playing XI on match eve as he did in Durban, he said the 31-year-old quick was eligible for a return after being "released by the fitness team".

Rabada took 11 wickets the last time Australia visited St George's Park in 2018, although his performance in that Test was overshadowed by a hip-and-shoulder on Steve Smith.

The right-armer from Johannesburg has an incredible Test record against Australia, bagging 58 wickets at 21.39, and boasts one of world cricket's best bowling strike-rates.

"He'll obviously be a big addition and boost to the team on the field," Bavuma told reporters on Saturday.

"The bowlers feed massively off him. He leads the attack in everything that he does, and he brings an extra level of confidence to the unit.

"Whether he's on the field, whether he's off the field, there's always benefit.

"There's a lot of belief in 'KG' and a lot of the guys rub off that."

Pat Cummins conceded Australia would need to be on guard against his former IPL teammate who currently sits just ahead of him on the Test wicket-takers' list (Rabada has 340 victims to Cummins' 326).

"I know 'KG' a little bit, and it doesn't take much to get himself up for the contest," Cummins said. "Even if you don't poke him, I'm sure he'll find a way to motivate himself.

"(He's) obviously a class player. He hasn't played much lately, but he always seems to rise to the occasion, and he's quite experienced in Test cricket. So no doubt he'll be a bit of a challenge."

In addition to welcoming back Rabada, the hosts are considering changing the structure of their attack after their two spinners were ineffective in Durban.

With inclement weather forecast, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer appear to be battling it out for one spot in the lineup after an impressive training performance from Anrich Nortje.

There were concerns over Nortje's ability to back up a big workload in the Durban Test with a short turnaround to the second, but Bavuma confirmed he was also available for selection.

Nortje bowled 40 overs across both innings at Kingsmead in his first red-ball match in more than three years, but has put a mountain of work into building up his fitness to handle the rigours of Test cricket.

Bavuma was non-committal about the batting order including who would open alongside Aiden Markram. The star batter only arrived in Gqeberha on Friday evening before having a hit on match eve on Saturday.

Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne have been dropped, with Ryan Rickelton to take the gloves for the second Test. Rickelton opened the batting in Durban, scoring 0 and 2, but could slide down the order given his added responsibility with the gloves.

Uncapped dasher Marques Ackerman and new inclusion Matthew Breetzke are both likely to play. Either could conceivably open though Breetzke is more qualified from his first-class career.

Ackerman is a left-hander from Johannesburg who in August made 256 from No.4 for South Africa A in a four-day match against Bangladesh A, not long after making 173 from No.5 against England Lions. Both innings were made at better than a run a ball. He currently captains the Dolphins in the domestic competition and Bavuma said the 30-year-old is a batter who "fights fire with fire".

Although Breetzke, who scored an ODI century against Australia last month, has opened in 59 of his 115 first-class innings, Bavuma talked up the prospect of Ackerman slotting in at the top of the order. Ackerman has never opened in 134 first-class innings, but is averaging 100.16 from six first-class innings in 2026 with a strike-rate of 112.97.

"In years of late he has been (number) three or four," Bavuma said of his potential debutant. 

"That's where he's found himself in the in the SA 'A' team as well as his domestic team.

"He's a Highveldt boy so he's used to facing the new ball on tricky wickets. And mentally, if that opportunity is there, you'd be happy to give him that opportunity.

"He's someone who'll go head in first and the skills are there from a technical point of view."

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

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

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

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 squad for second Test: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, 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 (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster