South Africa Test Squad vs Australia Announced, Kagiso Rabada Included

Kagiso Rabada with South Africa team [Source: @ICC/X]The South Africa Test squad vs Australia was announced by the Proteas Cricket on September 28, with a key inclusion in the Temba Bavuma-led 18-member squad. Importantly, Kagiso Rabada, who was previously out of South Africa's pace attack in red-ball cricket since October 2025 has returned. Rabada's inclusion in the squad comes after almost a year since he last appeared against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and was put off the hook due to workload and injury concerns. Nevertheless, South Africa's Test squad vs Australia includes big names like Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, among others, with Keshav Maharaj, Tristan Stubbs, and Tony de Zorzi also included.South Africa's 18-member Test squad against Australia revealedCurrently, the Proteas cricket team is playing the three-match ODI series against Australia, with a tour match scheduled for October 3. The three-match Test series will begin on October 9 in Durban, followed by the second Test in Gqeberha and the third Test in Cape Town. For this three-match series, which is an important part of the World Test Championship tournament in 2027, the South African cricket team has decided to come up with a formidable squad consisting of experienced veterans, with only a few fresh faces.Also Read- Dissecting The Madness Behind Virat Kohli's New ODI ApproachSouth Africa Test squad vs Australia:Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Marques Ackermann, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson.The series also marks an important occasion, with the team hosting Australia after almost eight years at their home ground. The last home series for the Proteas took place back in 2018, when South Africa won against Australia 3-1.Kagiso Rabada’s Test comeback amid tumultuous injury timelineKagiso Rabada's red-ball appearance since his historic Pakistan stint in October 2025 has been part of a frustratingly stop-and-start injury cycle. Rabada played a massive role in against Pakistan as in the second Test he scored a career-best 71 runs while batting at number 11, while also scalping some crucial wickets throughout the series.Soon after, in November, he was ruled out of the entire bilateral tour of India due to a rib bone stress injury suffered during a training session. In December too, he was sidelined due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the rib injury for the SA20 season.In January 2026, Rabada recovered and had a solid turnaround with high-intensity cricket, playing until May without an injury, while also representing Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. However, soon after, in August, he suffered a Grade 3 right hamstring injury, which initially ruled him out for nine to ten weeks.Now, his comeback into the red-ball setup comes as a big boost. Proteas naming him in the South Africa Test squad vs Australia also signals that he will likely feature in the playing XI for the first Test itself in Durban.Rabada leads menace troop of Proteas bowling against Australia Among active players, Kagiso Rabada is the highest wicket-taker for South Africa against Australia at home. From four Test matches, Rabada has produced 23 wickets, with a best spell of 6 for 54 in an innings and 11 for 150 runs in a match. He averages 19.26 against the visitors while bowling at an economy rate of 3.14. Keshav Maharaj, who has also been included in the squad, is also one of the troublemakers for Australia in South Africa. He is the second-highest wicket-taker, bagging 17 scalps from four appearances, with a best spell of 5 for 123 against the team.Interestingly, this will be the very first assignment for Anrich Nortje as a South African bowler at home against Australia. Otherwise, the veteran has played three Test matches so far against the visitors, contributing seven wickets at an economy rate of 3.39.Among these star faces in the South Africa Test squad vs Australia, Dane Paterson, a right-arm pacer for South Africa, has also received a call-up, two years after his last appearance for the team in whites. Paterson has represented South Africa in only seven Tests but has returned figures of 5 for 61 while scalping 25 wickets at an average of 26.24.Also Read- "We Hardly Talk..": Virat Kohli-Shubman Gill Banter Continues