The second Test between South Africa and Australia starts on Sunday 18 October 2026 at St George's Park, Gqeberha. Australia lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning by 214 runs in Durban. South Africa have won seven of their ten Tests at the ground since 2013 and lead Australia 4-3 there.
Key takeaways
- Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0 after beating South Africa by 214 runs at Kingsmead, Durban.
- The second Test runs from 18 to 22 October 2026 at St George's Park, Gqeberha, starting at 10am local time.
- South Africa have won seven of their ten Tests at St George's Park since 2013, and lead Australia 4-3 there.
- Matthew Breetzke replaces Tristan Stubbs in South Africa's squad, and Ryan Rickelton takes over as wicketkeeper.
- Kagiso Rabada, with 58 Test wickets in 11 matches against Australia, is likely to return from a hamstring injury.
South Africa go to St George's Park on Sunday 18 October needing a result. Australia won the first Test at Kingsmead by 214 runs, so a second defeat in Gqeberha would settle the three-match series with Newlands still to come. The match runs 18 to 22 October, with play starting at 10am local time.
The ground has been kind to South Africa in recent years, and their selectors have already moved. Australia have their own questions, mostly about who fits where in a batting order that changed shape in Durban.
What happened in the first Test at Durban?
Australia batted first and made 390, then bowled South Africa out for 284 to lead by 106. They declared their second innings at 314 for 6, which set a target of 421. South Africa were all out for 206 on the fifth day.
| Innings | Team | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Australia | 390 |
| 2nd | South Africa | 284 |
| 3rd | Australia | 314/6 dec |
| 4th | South Africa | 206 |
| Result | Australia won by 214 runs | 1-0 in a three-Test series |
Matt Renshaw was Player of the Match for 190 and 82, batting at No. 5 after moving down from opening. cricket.com.au noted that it was the highest match tally by an Australian Test batter in nearly four years.
Josh Hazlewood finished it. His 6 for 49 in the second innings is the best return of his Test career and gave him eight wickets in the match. Aiden Markram held Australia up for 237 balls in making 75, and he and Wiaan Mulder added 69 for the fifth wicket, but South Africa were 166 for 6 at lunch on the last day and the final four wickets added only 40 more.
Steve Smith also passed a landmark on day three. His 221st Test catch took him past Joe Root for the most catches by a non-wicketkeeper in Test history.
What has South Africa's record at St George's Park looked like?
St George's Park has been one of South Africa's better home venues. ESPNcricinfo's Statsguru lists ten Tests there since 2013, and South Africa won seven of them. The two most recent were big wins: by 332 runs against Bangladesh in April 2022 and by 109 runs against Sri Lanka in December 2024.
The two defeats in that run came back to back, against Sri Lanka in 2019 and England in 2020. Since then South Africa have won both Tests played there.
Against Australia specifically, the ground has a longer and more even history. The two sides have met seven times in Gqeberha, and South Africa lead 4-3.
| Start date | Result (South Africa's view) | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Mar 1950 | Lost | Innings and 259 runs |
| 28 Feb 1958 | Lost | 8 wickets |
| 24 Feb 1967 | Won | 7 wickets |
| 5 Mar 1970 | Won | 323 runs |
| 14 Mar 1997 | Lost | 2 wickets |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Won | 231 runs |
| 9 Mar 2018 | Won | 6 wickets |
Australia have not won a Test at the ground since 1997. Across all 55 home Tests against Australia, including Durban, South Africa have won 16, lost 30 and drawn nine (our count from the Statsguru results list).
What will the Gqeberha pitch do?
Nobody has published a detailed pitch reading yet, so treat any firm claim with caution. cricket.com.au's preview from Gqeberha describes a surface that is expected to help spin. It also expects South Africa to consider two frontline spinners again, as they did in Durban with Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer.
That expectation shapes Australia's thinking too. Cooper Connolly, the left-arm spinner who can bat in the middle order, missed Durban with a head cold and is the obvious option if Australia want a second slower bowler beside Nathan Lyon.
Workload is the other conditions question. Pat Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc each bowled more than 29 overs in Durban, and the turnaround to Sunday is short.
What has South Africa changed for the second Test?
South Africa named a 17-player squad on 15 October with one change. Matthew Breetzke comes in for Tristan Stubbs, who made 33 runs across his two innings in Durban.
- Breetzke in. He scored 171 runs in three ODIs against Australia on this tour, including a century in Durban.
- Rickelton keeps wicket. Ryan Rickelton takes the gloves from Kyle Verreynne, who stays in the squad. Rickelton did not reach double figures in either innings at Kingsmead.
- Rabada likely back. Kagiso Rabada missed the first Test with a hamstring injury picked up in training and has not played since the IPL in May. Temba Bavuma said he was progressing well and likely to return.
- Nortje the probable casualty. Bavuma indicated Anrich Nortje would be the one likely to make way, despite a successful comeback in Durban.
- De Zorzi unavailable. Tony de Zorzi was not considered while he recovers from a left hamstring injury.
Uncapped batter Marques Ackerman is also in the squad and, according to cricket.com.au, firmly in line for a debut. The panel also left room for an extra specialist batter.
Rabada's record against this opponent is the reason for the urgency. The ICC lists him with 58 Test wickets in 11 matches against Australia.
What are Australia's selection questions?
Australia's questions are nicer ones to have, but they are still real. Renshaw's runs at No. 5 and Nic Maddinson's second-innings contribution have given the selectors more options, and coach Andrew McDonald said both can bat anywhere from one to six.
Two returning players complicate it:
- Cameron Green has an abdominal strain that rules him out of bowling in South Africa. McDonald said he is progressing well, but he still has boxes to tick, and he could only come back as a batter.
- Josh Inglis broke his right index finger in the ODIs and is batting in a splint. He has to show he can face bowling at full pace before he is considered.
Scott Boland, meanwhile, has now been left out for three matches running. Cummins has said the case for moving Renshaw again would need to be "pretty compelling", which suggests the order is more likely to be adjusted around him than with him.
Which matchups could decide the Test?
Form and conditions point to three contests worth watching.
Hazlewood against South Africa's top four. He took eight wickets in Durban and rose two places to seventh in the ICC Test bowling rankings. South Africa's new-ball session is where Durban turned, and Rickelton taking the gloves could also reshape the top order around Markram.
Rabada against Renshaw and Smith. If Rabada plays, his first spell will be his first international bowling since May. Renshaw is now equal 49th in the batting rankings after starting the week outside the top 100 and Smith took four catches in South Africa's first innings in Durban.
Markram against the spinners. Markram rose four places to equal tenth in the Test batting rankings after his 75. If the pitch takes turn as expected, his innings against Lyon, and possibly Connolly, could matter as much as anything the quicks do.
What does the result mean for the World Test Championship?
The ICC's report from Durban said Australia had strengthened their hold on top spot in the World Test Championship standings, while South Africa slipped to third and New Zealand moved up to second.
A second Australian win would make the Cape Town Test a dead rubber in series terms, though it would still carry championship points. A South African win would set up a decider at Newlands from 27 October.
Follow the series on Cricket Pulse Live:
- Live scores for ball-by-ball coverage from St George's Park
- ICC rankings for where the players and teams stand
- Schedule for the Cape Town Test and the rest of the fixtures
All facts as at 16 October 2026. Team news can change before the toss on Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
The second Test starts on Sunday 18 October 2026 at St George's Park in Gqeberha and is scheduled to run until 22 October. Play begins at 10am local time, which is 7pm AEDT in eastern Australia. The third and final Test follows at Newlands, Cape Town, from 27 to 31 October.
Australia won the first Test at Kingsmead by 214 runs. They made 390 and 314 for 6 declared, while South Africa made 284 and 206 chasing 421. Matt Renshaw was Player of the Match for 190 and 82, and Josh Hazlewood took a career-best 6 for 49 on the final day.
South Africa and Australia have played seven Tests at St George's Park in Gqeberha, according to ESPNcricinfo's Statsguru. South Africa have won four, in 1967, 1970, 2014 and 2018, and Australia three, in 1950, 1958 and 1997. Australia have not won a Test at the ground since 1997.
Kagiso Rabada is in South Africa's 17-player squad and captain Temba Bavuma said he was likely to return after missing the Durban Test with a hamstring injury. The final XI is confirmed at the toss. Rabada has 58 Test wickets in 11 matches against Australia, according to the ICC, and Anrich Nortje is the bowler most likely to make way.
Tristan Stubbs made 33 runs across his two innings in the Durban Test, which Australia won by 214 runs. South Africa replaced him with Matthew Breetzke, who scored 171 runs in three ODIs against Australia on the same tour, including a century in Durban. Ryan Rickelton also takes over the wicketkeeping gloves from Kyle Verreynne.
Sources
- Australia breeze to a big win over South Africa in Durban
- Durban triumph helps Aussie stars make big gains on rankings
- Batter dropped as South Africa name squad for second Test
- Proteas set for Rabada boost as Bavuma looks for response
- Statsguru: South Africa home Test results v Australia
- Statsguru: South Africa home Test results v Australia (page 2)
- Statsguru: South Africa home Test results since 2010
- Statsguru: South Africa home Test results since 2010 (page 2)
- Renshaw runs flip Aussies' batting dilemma
- Genius Smith grabs stunners, record as Aussies press Proteas
- Australia bowl out South Africa to win first cricket Test in Durban
Statistics in this article were checked as at 16 October 2026.
