Australia return to South Africa for first Test series since Sandpapergate 2018
Synopsis
Eight years after Sandpapergate shook cricket's foundations, Australia walk back into South African territory for a three-Test series starting Friday in Durban — with five of the men who were there in 2018 still in the squad. Pat Cummins says the world has moved on. Whether the Durban crowd agrees is another matter.
Key Takeaways
Australia begin a three-match Test series in South Africa on Friday in Durban — their first Test tour there since the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal .
Six Australian players from the 2018 series remain in the squad: Mitchell Starc , Pat Cummins , Josh Hazlewood , Nathan Lyon , Steve Smith , and Matt Renshaw .
South Africa also retain five survivors from 2018: Temba Bavuma , Keshav Maharaj , Wiaan Mulder , Aiden Markram , and Kagiso Rabada .
Rabada's availability is uncertain due to a hamstring injury; a decision is expected close to match time.
Cameron Green and Josh Inglis have been ruled out of the first Test due to injury.
Australia lost the 2018 South Africa series 1-3 ; this tour offers a chance at redemption on the same soil.
Australia travel to South Africa on Friday for their first Test series in the country since the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, opening a three-match series in Durban that carries the weight of one of cricket's most controversial chapters. Only six players from that turbulent 2018 tour remain in the current Australian squad, making this a reunion of sorts — one charged with unresolved emotion and genuine cricketing stakes.
Six Survivors, Old Ghosts
The Australian contingent still carrying memories of that 2018 tour includes pace trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, alongside spinner Nathan Lyon and stand-in captain Steve Smith — all of whom featured in the infamous Cape Town Test. Matt Renshaw is the sixth survivor; although he did not play in any of the first three Tests of that series, he was called up as an emergency replacement for the fourth Test after the ball-tampering scandal erupted during the third.
Australia lost the 2018 series 1-3, a result compounded by the reputational damage that followed. Smith, banned and stripped of the captaincy at the time, now leads the side in the absence of the regular skipper, a detail not lost on observers tracking the arc of his rehabilitation.
Cummins on Crowd Hostility: 'Everyone Moves On'
Speaking ahead of the series, Pat Cummins acknowledged the possibility of a frosty reception from South African crowds but struck a measured tone. 'There might be a little bit of hostility,' Cummins said on the Keepin' it Cricket podcast last month. '(But) it can't be louder than an Ashes series Birmingham, the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston, that gets pretty rowdy.'
Cummins added that he expects the cricket to take over quickly once the series gets underway. 'It (Sandpapergate) was kind of really spoken up (in past series), and it was almost a bit underwhelming,' he said, referring to reactions from Proteas fans. 'Everyone moves on. The good thing is, with three Tests, you get stuck in the cricket, and everyone just worries about the cricket pretty quickly. I'm sure there'll be some rowdy people in the crowd, and some articles or some media bring up stuff. But our group's moved on,' he added.
Australia's Likely XI: Injuries Cloud the Picture
The batting order is expected to see Renshaw open alongside Travis Head, with Marnus Labuschagne — who struck a century in the warm-up match — likely retaining his No. 3 slot, and Smith at No. 4. The pace attack of Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood remains intact, with Scott Boland set to sit out the first Test.
Australia have been hit by injury concerns ahead of the opener, with Cameron Green and reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis both ruled out of the first Test. The spin selection may hinge on pitch conditions: Lyon is the frontrunner over Matthew Kuhnemann, though if the Durban surface dries rapidly, both could feature in the playing XI.
South Africa's Own 2018 Veterans
South Africa, too, field survivors from that series. Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Aiden Markram, and Kagiso Rabada are all part of the Proteas squad. However, Rabada's availability for the first Test remains uncertain following a hamstring injury, with a final decision on his fitness expected as late as possible before the match.
Notably, the Proteas come into this series with considerable motivation — not just cricket pride, but the chance to reinforce a rivalry that 2018 left indelibly scarred. The series promises a contest of genuine intensity, with five survivors on each side, lingering narratives, and a Durban crowd eager to make its feelings known.
What's at Stake
Beyond the personal storylines, this three-Test series carries World Test Championship points that matter for both sides' qualification campaigns. For Australia, it is also a chance to close a chapter — proving that the team rebuilt since 2018 can win on South African soil this time. The first ball bowls on Friday in Durban.
Point of View
But it risks overshadowing what is actually a tightly poised Test series. Australia's batting remains heavily reliant on the same core from 2018 — Smith, Head, Labuschagne — with little evidence of the depth needed to win away from home against a motivated Proteas side. Cummins' calm on the crowd hostility question is sensible man-management, but the real test is whether an injury-hit squad can perform on pitches that South Africa engineer to suit Rabada and company. If Rabada plays through his hamstring, Australia will face the same hostile pace environment that made 2018 so difficult — this time without any sympathy from the stands.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Australia's Test tour to South Africa in 2026 significant?
It is Australia's first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 Sandpapergate scandal, in which Australian players were caught ball-tampering during the Cape Town Test. The tour carries emotional and historical weight, with several players from that controversy still in both squads.
Who are the Australian survivors from the 2018 Sandpapergate series?
Six Australian players from the 2018 tour remain in the current squad: pace trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood; spinner Nathan Lyon; stand-in captain Steve Smith; and batter Matt Renshaw, who was called up as an emergency replacement for the fourth Test.
Is Kagiso Rabada fit for the first Test in Durban?
Rabada's participation is uncertain due to a hamstring injury. South Africa have indicated a decision on his availability will be made as late as possible before the match begins on Friday.
What did Pat Cummins say about facing hostile South African crowds?
Cummins said he expected 'a little bit of hostility' but added that crowds at Edgbaston during an Ashes series are louder. He expressed confidence that once the cricket begins, attention shifts to the game, saying 'everyone moves on' and that his group has too.
Who is unavailable for Australia in the first Test?
Cameron Green and reserve wicketkeeper Josh Inglis have both been ruled out of the first Test in Durban due to injury, adding selection pressure to the Australian camp ahead of the series opener.
