Australia, the reigning 50-over World Cup holders, tour South Africa from late September to end October 2026 for a full bilateral series: 3 ODIs first, then 3 Tests. There are no T20Is on this tour. Mitchell Marsh captains Australia's ODI side and Temba Bavuma leads South Africa's; Pat Cummins takes over as Australia's Test captain once the red-ball leg begins.
Build a free Fantasy XI on CricketDream for any individual match in this series, ODI or Test, the moment each fixture opens for team selection.
Results so far: South Africa won the ODIs 2-1, Australia lead the Tests 1-0
- 1st ODI, Durban: South Africa won by 67 runs. Matthew Breetzke made his first ODI hundred.
- 2nd ODI, Johannesburg: South Africa won by 32 runs, with a hundred from David Miller.
- 3rd ODI, Potchefstroom (30 September): Australia won by 45 runs on DLS. Australia made 322/9 and South Africa were 145/4 when rain stopped play.
- 1st Test, Durban: Australia won by 214 runs. Matt Renshaw made 190 and 82, and Josh Hazlewood took 6/49 on the last day.
The second Test starts on 18 October in Gqeberha and the third on 27 October in Cape Town.
Full series schedule: 3 ODIs, then 3 Tests
Australia also play a two-day tour match against a CSA Invitation XI at Senwes Park (3-4 October) between the two legs, a warm-up fixture, not part of the international series and not covered by CricketDream fantasy.
South Africa ODI squad
South Africa's ODI squad has been hit by injuries: Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman and Lungi Ngidi are all unavailable for the series with hamstring issues, and Kwena Maphaka has also been ruled out. Duan Jansen and Lizaad Williams have been added as replacements.
Australia ODI squad
Australia's frontline pace trio, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, are all named but are expected to be carefully managed across the three ODIs, with the Test series treated as the priority. Cummins in particular is considered a doubt for the 1st ODI. That makes captaincy choices among Australia's bowlers worth double-checking closer to each match.
Australia Test squad
Both Test squads are named. Australia's is a different group to the ODI squad, built around Australia's established Test top order: Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne return, and Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland and Matthew Kuhnemann give the side three frontline spin and seam options for South African conditions. South Africa's 18-man Test squad, led by Temba Bavuma, is now confirmed. See our dedicated South Africa vs Australia Test series guide for both squads, injury news and fantasy picks.
How ODI and Test fantasy scoring differ on CricketDream
The two formats reward different picks. In the ODIs, batters who face and score across a full 50-over innings and bowlers who take wickets in a fixed 10-over spell give you the most reliable points, so pick players who bat high in the order or bowl throughout the innings, like Travis Head or Adam Zampa. In the Tests, a player's points accumulate across up to five days and two innings each, so all-rounders who both bat and bowl (Marco Jansen, Cameron Green, Beau Webster) tend to out-score specialists over a full match, and spinners often pick up more wickets on days four and five as the pitch wears. Full scoring rules are at CricketDream's how-to-play/scoring page.
Fantasy notes for the 1st ODI (Durban, 24 September)
- Pat Cummins is considered a doubt to play the 1st ODI as Australia manage their frontline quicks toward the Test series, check the confirmed XI before captaining him.
- South Africa are missing Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Lungi Ngidi and Kwena Maphaka to injury, so Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen carry more of the new-ball workload than usual.
- The 3rd ODI at Potchefstroom is the only day-night match of the three, factor dew and a later start into bowling picks.
How to build your Fantasy XI on CricketDream
CricketDream's Fantasy XI is free, no entry fee, no prize pool, just cricket. Select 11 players within a budget, assign a captain (2× points) and vice-captain (1.5× points), and your live score updates ball by ball. Pick from both squads; the game is available for each individual match, ODI or Test, once the fixture is confirmed.
- Fantasy XI: free, pick any 11 from both squads within budget, for any single match.
- Draft: snake-draft real players with friends before the series.
- Predictor: pick match winners and margin before the first ball.
- Cricket Grid: daily 3×3 IPL-origin puzzle: plays between matches.
- CricketQuest: guess the mystery cricketer using nationality as the first clue.
Build your free Fantasy XI for the Australia vs South Africa 1st ODI.
Build Fantasy XIFrequently asked questions
When does Australia tour South Africa in 2026?
The tour runs from 24 September to 31 October 2026: 3 ODIs first (24, 27 and 30 September, in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom), then 3 Tests (9-13 October in Durban, 18-22 October in Gqeberha, and 27-31 October in Cape Town).
Is the Australia vs South Africa 2026 series T20Is?
No. There are no T20Is on this tour, it is 3 ODIs followed by a 3-match Test series.
Where to watch Australia vs South Africa in India?
Sony Sports Network typically holds Indian broadcast rights for Australia's overseas bilateral tours; check Sony LIV and Sony Sports channels for live coverage. CricketDream is not the broadcaster, we provide fantasy, games and analysis.
Who captains Australia and South Africa on this tour?
Mitchell Marsh captains Australia's ODI squad; Pat Cummins captains the Test squad. Temba Bavuma captains South Africa's ODI squad. Temba Bavuma also captains South Africa's Test squad.
Has South Africa's Test squad been announced?
Yes. South Africa named an 18-player Test squad led by Temba Bavuma, updated on 3 October.
What are the venues for Australia's 2026 tour of South Africa?
Five venues host the six internationals: Kingsmead (Durban, hosts both the 1st ODI and 1st Test), The Wanderers (Johannesburg, 2nd ODI), Senwes Park (Potchefstroom, 3rd ODI day-night), St George's Park (Gqeberha, 2nd Test) and Newlands (Cape Town, 3rd Test).