South Africa vs Australia third Test: The options facing the Australian selectors in Cape Town

October 25, 2026 — 5:00amSave

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The options are limited. But after Australia copped a drubbing in Gqeberha, the calls are growing for changes to the nation’s Test cricket team.

With the three-match series against South Africa locked at 1-1, Pat Cummins’ men have just a few days to prepare for Tuesday’s Test in Cape Town as they look to rebound from their loss by an innings and 31 runs in the second Test.

After going into the second Test without a recognised spinner and losing comprehensively, it’s expected the Australian selectors will recall Nathan Lyon in Cape Town.Getty Images

Sitting on the sidelines but in the Australian squad for that game were Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Cooper Connolly, Sam Harper, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann and all-rounder Cameron Green, who has recovered from injury to play as a batter but would be unlikely to bowl if selected.

Picking a team to win the series-deciding Test is a fraught task, but that’s what we’ve asked our reporters to do, led by chief cricket writer Dan Brettig, Sydney Morning Herald chief sports writer Tom Decent and The Age’s Andrew Wu and Jon Pierik. Here are the teams they’d pick for Cape Town. Did they get it right? Let us know in the comments.

Dropping Marnus Labuschagne seems like something Australia simply must do until one considers exactly the scenario facing the national selectors.

After their abysmal batting in Gqeberha and, in fairness, periods in Durban too, the tourists must find a way to absorb more of the new ball before the stroke makers come in.

Ostensibly that task should fall to Matt Renshaw, but his success at Kingsmead, particularly batting with the tail, makes a strong case for keeping him at five to win this week in Cape Town.

Similarly, Labuschagne’s tendency to get through the “tough period” affords him value at the top, much as the selectors chose to use him in the world Test championship final last year.

Cameron Green should not be asked to bat three in his first game back, so it is worth moving Steve Smith up to a position where he has previously prospered.

That also allows for Cooper Connolly to come in at six, with the slack left by Beau Webster to be taken up by Nathan Lyon’s return as a stock bowler.

Josh Inglis is left out of the side, partly because he did not grasp opportunities to make a big score against a weaker England attack during the Ashes, when Ben Stokes had little trouble finding a way through his defence. Inglis’ time may come in India.

Scott Boland keeps his place at the expense of Josh Hazlewood, who must still be feeling the effects of the stomach ailment that felled him during the second Test.

There’s suddenly, for those who can remember, a distinct mid-1980s desperation about this team, one in a state of flux when you consider the heavy defeats of Darwin in August, and now Gqeberha.

Next comes Newlands, the Proteas’ best ground by the numbers (28 wins from 61 Tests), as Greg Chappell recently pointed out in this masthead.

Once this series is over, the selectors must settle on an opening partnership that, hopefully, can remain in place for the next three years or so. Nic Maddinson isn’t the answer, nor, I feel, is Travis Head.

In the meantime, Renshaw, in the form of his life, can replace Maddinson and fill a role he knows very well against a new ball expected to swing. We’ve backed Labuschagne well beyond his use-by date, the No.3 having failed to ton up in more than three years (47 innings). That he has averaged less than 31 in each of the past three calendar years (27.55 this year) tells the tale. We debated giving Labuschagne another go as an opener, but it’s time for change.

Smith, as Usman Khawaja told Fox Cricket, would be more than happy to head to No.3, despite his susceptibility to the short ball. We’ll recall a now fit Green to bat at No.4, although he cannot yet bowl, while Inglis also returns from injury.

We debated whether Connolly’s youthful mindset at No.6 would help, but we’ll stick with Beau Webster, who can also offer seam bowling, while allowing an out-of-sorts Alex Carey to slip to No.7.

Boland deserves to remain in the XI, squeezing out Josh Hazlewood, despite Hazlewood’s heroics in Durban.

Lyon also returns. Axing our greatest off-spin bowler for the second Test was a ridiculous call, for a frontline tweaker should always be played.

This exercise is a timely reminder of the difficulty facing selectors. They are not exactly spoilt for choice. Given the team is away and in a deciding Test, selection for this game is treated very much as a one-off. The big calls can come at home when there is Shield form to judge.

Major and radical change was considered, like blooding debutant Harper to open with Renshaw or even Labuschagne, moving Head back to five and Carey to seven, but Green’s unavailability to bowl robbed us of flexibility and tempered enthusiasm for an overhaul.

Labuschagne hangs on – again. His numbers are alarming, but he’s looked steady for long periods this series only to throw it away. Taking a few deep breaths in key moments would help him settle. A pair of 30s could prove priceless at a venue where there’s been only one first-innings total more than 300 in four Tests since 2020.

The stakes are too high to continue with the Maddinson experiment. Renshaw is a natural opener whose temperament complements Head’s attacking style. This will allow Green to return at five.

The final batting spot is a coin toss between all-rounders Webster and Connolly. Webster stays if the pitch suits the seamers.

Although he was successful at No.5 in the first Test in Durban, calls are growing for Matt Renshaw to return to the top of the Australian batting order.Getty Images

Michael Neser was considered after seeing how effective Wiaan Mulder’s seamers were with the keeper standing up, but his numbers with the bat at Test level were not worthy of a No.7. Spinner Lyon must play, regardless of the pitch. His variety and change of pace was sorely missed when Temba Bavuma and South Africa’s lower order took charge.

The hot hand of Boland pushes out Hazlewood, who was excellent in the first Test but who we do not want exposed to a third Test in as many weeks due to his recent injury history. Plus, nobody on the panel wanted to be the one telling the captain he was missing out.

Maddinson still in the XI? Stick with me. In an ideal world, I would fly Kurtis Patterson over and bat him at No.3, with everyone in the above order sliding down and Maddinson missing out, but that won’t happen given the short turnaround.

In a series decider, with pressure through the roof, I’ll take Maddinson’s 113 first-class matches over Cooper Connolly’s 13. It’s last-chance saloon for Maddinson, and it might just bring out the best in him.

Selectors liked Maddinson because of his flexibility, so let’s test that theory. He’s an excellent player of spin and has made plenty of Sheffield Shield runs lower down the order.

Everyone would love to bat at No.5, but it’s time for the big guns to face up.

Head and Renshaw, Australia’s leading run-scorers this series, should open. Smith averages more at No.3 (65.2) than No.4 (58.7), while second drop will be Green’s spot when Smith retires. Why not give him the keys now?

Labuschagne shouldn’t have toured and his second-innings dismissal was the final straw. Webster can’t feel hard done by after six scores of 13 or fewer in his past seven knocks. Line-ball call between Webster and Inglis given the Tasmanian provides another bowling option.

Boland can feel aggrieved for missing out, but those calling for Hazlewood to be axed must have forgotten his eight-wicket haul in Durban. Hazlewood actually has the best bowling average of all Australian Test bowlers over the past 12- and 24-month periods. Lyon must play.

Mitch Marsh is also my emergency 12th man, purely for dressing room vibes.

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CloseDaniel Brettig is The Age’s chief cricket writer and the author of several books on cricket.Connect via X.Tom Decent is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.From our partners

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