Illness uncertainty as Australia weighs up Test XI
South Africa is going in with spin for the first Test in Durban, but the Australian line-up is still unclear with illness and pitch questions still to be answered.
The Australian cricket team will not announce its first Test lineup against South Africa until the toss in Durban, due to concerns over player health and the pitch conditions. Cooper Connolly, a young Australian cricketer, trained normally on Thursday but left wearing a mask, as he is dealing with a head cold. Australia has opted for caution in his return to the Test team.
The tourists will wait to see how dry the pitch is on Friday before announcing their side. Connolly and Nic Maddinson, who have not played a Test since 2021 and December 2016, respectively, are in contention to replace Cameron Green, who is out due to an abdominal strain. Josh Inglis, who has a fractured finger, is recovering in Perth.
The South Africans have confirmed they will field two spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, indicating their belief in the wicket's spin-friendly nature. Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, stated that everyone brings something unique to the team, and they will work on finding the best combination. Inglis is expected to fly back to South Africa before the series ends, while Green could return for the second Test.
Marnus Labuschagne, who has not scored a Test century in his past 39 completed innings, is also in contention at number three after a strong warm-up performance. Australia aims to play this Test at a different pace, focusing on grinding out sessions and not relying on big falls or explosive innings, as their recent success has come from big moments.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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