Bavuma’s return gives South Africa a timely lift
South Africa begin a three-match ODI series against Australia in Durban on September 24, with Temba Bavuma back in the 50-over side for the first time since December 2025. His return comes as several senior names rejoin the squad, giving the hosts a far stronger look than the group that faced Namibia in their previous ODI assignment.
Alongside Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, David Miller, Corbin Bosch and Quinton de Kock are all back in the mix. That experience is expected to matter as South Africa start a stretch of white-ball cricket that will help shape their thinking for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which they will co-host with Zimbabwe and Namibia.
What the next few months mean for World Cup planning
Over the next four months, South Africa could play as many as nine ODIs against Australia, Bangladesh and England. Bavuma sees that run as more than just a busy schedule; it is a crucial part of settling the squad for a home World Cup.
He said the team must keep its recent ODI form in good shape while also staying mentally locked into what a home tournament will demand. For him, the key is to treat this phase as part of a longer process rather than a single series.
South Africa already have a fairly clear idea of the spine of the side. Bavuma made it clear that the selectors are unlikely to drift far from the main core, although later matches in the cycle should still open the door for new faces to push their way in.
- Established core: the main group is already known, and the team is not expected to change dramatically.
- Fresh chances later on: the end of the cycle, especially after England, should bring opportunities for emerging players.
- Closer to the final picture: by the end of the England series, South Africa should have a much better sense of their World Cup squad.
Head coach Shukri Conrad echoed that view when the squad was announced. He described the Australia series as an important step in building towards the World Cup while also giving likely contenders a chance to prove themselves in later matches against Bangladesh and England.
Batting balance and the opening question
One of the main selection calls revolves around who partners Quinton de Kock at the top. Bavuma has filled both the opener’s role and the number three position for South Africa, and he confirmed he will stay in the top three, though his exact spot is still not settled.
Tony de Zorzi is another option because he has also batted in both roles for South Africa. Aiden Markram’s limited availability adds another layer to the decision, since he is only available for the second and third ODIs.
The line-up therefore has some flexibility, but it also needs clarity quickly. South Africa will want to settle the top order early in the series so they can use these matches to build rhythm rather than experiment endlessly.
Selection calls, injuries and the pace attack
Gerald Coetzee has been brought back into the ODI squad, which strengthens the pace battery. Kagiso Rabada, however, will miss the series because of injury, although he is still hoping to be ready for the Test matches that follow.
With Rabada unavailable, South Africa’s quick-bowling options include Ottneil Baartman, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen and Coetzee. That gives the team a strong mix of raw pace, control and height, even without their premier strike bowler.
Dewald Brevis was the notable omission from the batting group. The selectors instead went with Matthew Breetzke, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs in the middle order, while Bjorn Fortuin and Keshav Maharaj were chosen as the specialist spin options.
The Test series is already looming
Even though the ODIs come first, the three-Test series that follows is hard to ignore. It forms part of the ICC World Test Championship and will be the first meeting between the two countries since South Africa’s win in the 2025 WTC Final at Lord’s.
Bavuma admitted it is difficult not to talk about the Tests while preparing for the white-ball games. He described the upcoming red-ball contest as highly anticipated, especially because both teams should be close to full strength and able to put on a proper contest.
For now, though, he stressed the need to keep that bigger challenge in the background. The immediate job is to stay focused on the ODI series, manage emotions sensibly and deal with the Test build-up once the time comes.
Series schedule and squad lists
The tour begins in Durban and then moves across three cities for the ODIs before shifting back to Durban for the opening Test. South Africa and Australia will then continue into Gqeberha and Johannesburg as the Test leg unfolds.
South Africa’s ODI squad is: Temba Bavuma, Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs.
Australia’s squad is: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa.
- First ODI: September 24, Durban
- Second ODI: September 27, Johannesburg
- Third ODI: September 30, Potchefstroom
- First Test: October 9 to 13, Durban
- Second Test: October 18 to 22, Gqeberha
- Third Test: October 27 to 31, Johannesburg
Why this stretch matters so much
Durban will host both the first ODI and the first Test, so the series begins and ends its early phase at the same venue. That makes the opening week especially important, because South Africa still need to settle de Kock’s opening partner, ease Markram back into the side for the second ODI, and find out whether Rabada can recover in time for the Test opener on October 9.
With Bangladesh and England later in the season, the Proteas have a clear runway to sort out combinations, test depth and sharpen their planning. By the time the England series ends, they should be much closer to knowing exactly which players will form their home World Cup core.