The red-ball half of Australia's tour of South Africa starts on Friday 9 October 2026 with the 1st Test at Kingsmead in Durban. Three Tests follow over the next three weeks: Durban, then St George's Park in Gqeberha from 18 October, then Newlands in Cape Town from 27 October. Pat Cummins captains Australia and Temba Bavuma captains South Africa.
Both Test squads are now confirmed, and every match is live on CricketDream. Build a free Fantasy XI for each Test, run a snake draft with friends or set up a predictor game. This guide has the schedule in IST, both squads, injury news and the picks that suit Test scoring.
SA vs AUS Test series 2026: full schedule and timings
The Test series follows three ODIs in September. This guide covers the Tests only. For the one-day leg, see the full tour guide linked below.
South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c)
South Africa named an 18-man squad, updated on 3 October. The batting is built around Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, with David Bedingham, Marques Ackerman and Kyle Verreynne adding depth. Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of the 1st Test, so check the confirmed XI on the Durban match page before you finalise your batters. Tristan Stubbs is listed as a wicketkeeper batter, along with Rickelton and Verreynne.
The bowling attack is the strength. Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee give South Africa four quick options, Corbin Bosch and Wiaan Mulder add seam-bowling allrounders, and Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer and Senuran Muthusamy cover spin.
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c)
Australia named their squad on 7 September. Steven Smith, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne lead the batting, Alex Carey keeps wicket, and Cooper Connolly and Beau Webster give them allrounder balance. The pace group is Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, with Nathan Lyon and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann as the spin options.
Josh Inglis is marked as withdrawn on Cricinfo's squad page, so Sam Harper is the second wicketkeeper in the group. Nic Maddinson is also in the squad as an opening batter. Labuschagne made 111 and Smith made 61 in Australia's warm-up match against a South Africa XI earlier this month, which is useful preparation form for both.
How Test fantasy scoring is different
A Test fantasy score runs across up to five days and four innings, so the picks that work in T20s and ODIs do not always carry over. Players who bat and bowl accumulate points in both innings, which is why allrounders like Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Beau Webster and Cooper Connolly are strong value. Frontline bowlers earn points on every wicket, and the opening bowlers are the most likely to take multiple wickets in both innings.
The other point is rotation. Tests are three weeks apart in this series, and teams change the XI between matches. Always check the confirmed XI on the match page before the lock, because a player in the squad can easily miss a Test.
Best fantasy picks for SA vs AUS Tests
- Kagiso Rabada (SA, BOWL): the leader of the attack and a likely multi-wicket bowler in both innings. He was ruled out of the ODIs with a hamstring problem, so confirm he is in the XI before you captain him.
- Marco Jansen (SA, AR): left-arm pace plus lower-order runs. The best South African allrounder pick in a Test.
- Keshav Maharaj (SA, BOWL): took 6 wickets in the ODI series and is the first-choice spinner. Spin tends to matter more on days four and five.
- Temba Bavuma (SA, BAT) and Aiden Markram (SA, AR): the stable batting core. Markram also adds a few overs of off-spin.
- Steven Smith (AUS, BAT): the most dependable Australian run scorer in Test cricket and a safe vice-captain pick.
- Travis Head (AUS, BAT): aggressive and quick to score, which puts points on the board early. High risk, high reward.
- Pat Cummins (AUS, BOWL): captain, strike bowler and a useful lower-order batter. He is a captaincy option when he bowls plenty of overs.
- Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood (AUS, BOWL): new-ball threats who can take wickets in clusters.
- Nathan Lyon (AUS, BOWL): Australia's main spinner, with the most value when the pitch wears late in the match.
- Differential: Cooper Connolly (AUS, AR) bats in the middle order and bowls left-arm spin, so he can score points in both departments at lower ownership.
Kingsmead usually offers early seam movement, so Rabada, Jansen, Cummins and Starc are good picks for the 1st Test. Check the pitch report and the toss on the match page before the lock, and be careful with players who might be rested or left out of the XI.
Suggested Fantasy XI for the 1st Test
- Wicketkeeper: Alex Carey
- Batters: Steven Smith, Travis Head, Temba Bavuma
- Allrounders: Marco Jansen (C), Aiden Markram, Beau Webster
- Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada (VC), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Keshav Maharaj
- Confirm the XI first: de Zorzi is out of the 1st Test, and Australia may rest or rotate bowlers across the series.
SA vs AUS Test series prediction
South Africa have a pace attack that suits home conditions at all three grounds, while Australia have the deeper and more experienced batting line-up. A 1-1 or 2-1 result is the most likely outcome, with the series decided by which team handles the first hour of each Test better. Set your own call in a free CricketDream Predictor game before each match.
Play free on CricketDream
Every CricketDream game is free, with no entry fee and no prize pool. Pick 11 players within the credit budget, choose a captain (2x points) and vice-captain (1.5x points), and your score updates live through the match.
Build your free Fantasy XI for the South Africa vs Australia 1st Test.
Build Fantasy XIFrequently asked questions
When is the South Africa vs Australia Test series in 2026?
The three Tests are on 9 to 13 October (Durban), 18 to 22 October (Gqeberha) and 27 to 31 October 2026 (Cape Town).
What time does the 1st Test start in India?
Day 1 of the 1st Test starts at 9:30 AM South Africa time, which is 1:00 PM IST. The 2nd Test starts at 1:30 PM IST and the 3rd Test at 2:00 PM IST.
Who captains South Africa and Australia in the Tests?
Temba Bavuma captains South Africa and Pat Cummins captains Australia.
Is Tony de Zorzi playing the 1st Test?
No. Cricinfo lists de Zorzi as ruled out of the 1st Test, though he remains in the squad. Check the confirmed XI on the match page before the lock.
Is Josh Inglis in the Australia Test squad?
Josh Inglis was named in the squad but is marked as withdrawn on Cricinfo. Alex Carey is the first-choice wicketkeeper and Sam Harper is the other keeper in the group.
Which captain is best for Test fantasy?
In Tests the best captain picks are usually players who contribute in both innings: a strike bowler like Kagiso Rabada or Pat Cummins, or an allrounder like Marco Jansen. Top-order batters like Steven Smith are the safest vice-captain picks.
Were there ODIs on this tour as well?
Yes. Three ODIs were played in Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom between 24 and 30 September. They are separate matches in a separate CricketDream series from the Tests.
Is CricketDream fantasy free to play?
Yes. Fantasy XI, Draft, Multi-Draft, Predictor, Cricket Quiz and CricketQuest are all completely free, with no entry fees and no cash prizes. It is skill-based cricket for fun and bragging rights with friends.
Where can I watch South Africa vs Australia?
Check your local broadcaster for the official rights holder in your country. CricketDream is not a broadcaster: follow live scores, playing XIs and fantasy points on each match page.