South Africa vs Australia 1st Test: Check Playing XIs, Head-to-Head Record and Live Streaming Details

The race for the World Test Championship (WTC) intensifies as Australia and South Africa face each other in the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban on Friday. Both teams are sitting at the top two positions in the WTC points table, making this series crucial.

The last time Australia toured South Africa for a Test series was in 2018, when the famous sandpaper scandal took place that shook the cricketing world. Now with Australia touring South Africa after 8 years, the series is expected to bring some exciting action ahead. 

South Africa vs Australia, 1st Test: Key Details 

South Africa vs Australia 1st Test: Playing XIs

The toss has taken place, with Australian captain Pat Cummins opting to bat first. Nick Maddinson returns to the playing XI as Cameron Green misses out due to injury. Alex Carey will continue as the wicketkeeper, while Australia will look to make an impact with a strong bowling attack.

Australia: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey(w), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood 

For South Africa, Anrich Nortje has returned to the playing XI in a major development, with Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi unavailable due to injuries. Temba Bavuma will lead the Proteas.

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma(c), Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje 

South Africa vs Australia: Head-to-Head Record in Tests

Australia hold a dominant edge over South Africa in Test cricket. In 101 matches between the two sides, Australia have won 54 times, while South Africa have claimed 26 victories. 

The latest Test match between the two teams was the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2025, where Proteas produced a remarkable performance to win their maiden WTC title. Below is a breakdown of the Test head-to-head record between the two sides.

• Total Matches Played: 101
• Australia Won: 54
• South Africa Won: 26
• Drawn Matches: 21

South Africa vs Australia, 1st Test: Live Streaming Details

Fans in India can watch the South Africa vs Australia 1st Test live on the Eurosport TV network. The live streaming of the match will be available on the FanCode app and website.

Do You Know: What Was the Sandpaper Scandal in 2018?

The sandpaper incident took place in 2018 during Australia's previous Test tour of South Africa. During the third Test, Australian players David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were involved in a ball-tampering scandal that was caught on camera. 

All three were found guilty, and Cricket Australia handed them suspensions, with Smith and Warner receiving one-year bans and Bancroft receiving a nine-month ban.