No.1 Test ranking at stake in Cape Town series decider
No.1 Test ranking on the line in Cape Town
Nothing less than the No.1 Test ranking is up for grabs at Newlands over the next five days. Should South Africa win they will go top for the first time since January 2016. If Australia triumph they will remain the leaders, which they have been consistently from May 2024.
But a South Africa victory won’t be enough to put the current WTC champions in pole position in the standings, where they are behind the Aussies and New Zealand. A win for the home side would put the Kiwis on top with South Africa second and Australia third. An Aussie win would leave the order unchanged.
The match promises to be a fitting climax to what has been an enthralling rubber. Unlike Australia’s previous Test series in South Africa, in March 2018 — when the most dramatic headlines boiled over from events off the field in all three matches — this time the news has not crossed the boundary.
From Matt Renshaw’s 190 and Josh Hazlewood’s 6/49 at Kingsmead to Temba Bavuma’s 179, Travis Head’s 121, Scott Boland’s 5/81 and Marco Jansen’s 5/33 at St George’s Park, the cricket has been full steam ahead. That both teams found ways to win despite Durban’s bad light and Gqeberha’s rain was commendable.
Team news and XIs
South Africa: Gerald Coetzee for the injured Anrich Nortjé is the only change. That means Simon Harmer keeps Keshav Maharaj out for the second consecutive Test, thanks to what Temba Bavuma calls Australia’s “plethora” of left-handers.
Confirmed XI: Aiden Markram, Marcus Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee.
Australia: Cameron Green — who has been out with a shoulder problem — will be back, Pat Cummins confirmed on Monday. But only as a batter. Nathan Lyon also looks like returning after missing the second Test because of the time rain took out of the match, maybe at Scott Boland’s expense. Josh Inglis has recovered from a broken finger. Steven Smith’s involvement is uncertain because of a neck injury he sustained at St George’s Park. Nic Maddinson has been dropped and sent home. So Matt Renshaw will probably move up the order to open. That might keep Marnus Labuschagne in the side.
Possible XI: Matt Renshaw, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
What they said
“When you come off such a high the challenge is to find a way to get yourself into the right mental space, where you are still hungry and desirous of making another big play for the team. A lot of that work is mental.” - Temba Bavuma on the perils of success.
“You’re on top of the world in Durban and then a week later you're left scratching your head. It’s always challenging in different ways. The physicality of it, even the preparation. You can’t just turn up like you might do for a T20 tournament.” — Pat Cummins goes to bat for Test cricket.
When: October 27 to 31, 2026; 10.30am local/8.30am GMT/2pm IST
Where: Newlands, Cape Town
What to expect: No issues with bad light or rain, which would be a change from the first two Tests. And the fairest pitch in the country.