Australia choose to bowl against South Africa as both sides change second-Test lineups
Pat Cummins put South Africa in at Gqeberha after winning the toss, with Kagiso Rabada returning and Scott Boland replacing Nathan Lyon.
Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl against South Africa in the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on 18 October. Both teams changed their lineups after Australia’s 214-run win in the series opener, making the selections an immediate test of South Africa’s response.
The BBC Sport scorecard listed the start as delayed after the toss. It did not establish when play would begin.
Rabada returns as South Africa change three players
South Africa brought back fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who had missed the first Test in Durban with a hamstring injury. Batter Matthew Breetzke was included, and Marques Ackerman was named for his Test debut. Wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, batter Tristan Stubbs and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj were left out, the Associated Press reported.
Ryan Rickelton was named to keep wicket and bat in the middle order, while Ackerman was set to open with Aiden Markram. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma remained in the side. The changes reshape both the top order and wicketkeeping role following the Durban defeat.
Breetzke had played two previous Tests, in Bangladesh in late 2024 and Zimbabwe in 2025, according to ABC. He had not played a first-class match since February but scored a century in the first one-day international against Australia the previous month. South Africa coach Shukri Conrad told ABC that Breetzke’s one-day form, attitude and character had strengthened his case for selection.
Before the match, Conrad said the team needed to improve after the first-Test loss and cautioned against knee-jerk reactions, ABC reported. He had also said Rickelton would take the gloves, with decisions about his batting position to be made after assessing conditions.
Boland replaces Lyon in Australia’s pace attack
Australia’s sole change was to bring in fast bowler Scott Boland for off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Cummins said conditions were partly behind the choice and praised Boland’s Test record, according to ABC. The selection gives Australia a pace-heavy attack alongside Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0 after winning in Durban by 214 runs. The third and final Test is scheduled to begin in Cape Town on 27 October, the Associated Press reported.
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Sources and context
- South Africa v Australia - Cricket - BBC SportBBC Sport
- Australia wins the toss and decides to bowl in the second cricket test against South AfricaAssociated Press (republished by Yahoo Sports)
- Live: Australia to unleash all-out pace attack in second Test against RSAAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.