Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada included in South Africa's 18-player preliminary squad for first Test against Australia

South Africa have named an 18-player preliminary squad for the first Test against Australia and will meet in Durban on October 1 as they build towards the match scheduled for October. The selection will be trimmed to a final 15 after a short preparation period in Durban.

The Proteas announced the squad as they prepare for the upcoming Test series, describing the fixture as a chance to test players in the longest format. The team will use the days in camp to try different combinations and to assess player fitness ahead of the match start in October.

Anrich Nortje has been named in the preliminary group and could return to Test cricket for the first time in more than three years. Nortje has not played a Test since March 2023 and has mainly featured in white-ball cricket since then; he could return to red-ball cricket if selected in the final 15.

South Africa included seven fast bowlers in the 18-player squad as several regular pacers are managing injuries. Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman and others are listed as unavailable due to injury problems, prompting the heavier pace contingent.

Kagiso Rabada is part of the preliminary squad but his availability for the first Test remains unconfirmed while he recovers from a right hamstring injury. "We also want to give Kagiso every chance of being available for selection for the first Test," Conrad said. A two-day intra-squad match in the preparation camp will be used to assess Rabada’s match fitness and to determine the most effective bowling combinations.

South Africa have retained most of their main batting group and handed an initial Test call-up to uncapped batter Marques Ackerman after heavy scoring for South Africa A. Ackerman has scored more than 1,000 runs in his last 10 first-class appearances for South Africa A and made 256 against Bangladesh A in August. The full preliminary squad named is: Temba Bavuma (C), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortjé, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne.

South Africa will use the preparation camp to finalise the 15-member squad for the match. The first Test between South Africa and Australia will be played in Durban from October 9 to 13.