South Africa announce 17-member squad for 2nd Test vs Australia- Tristan Stubbs dropped

South Africa have dropped Tristan Stubbs ahead of the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, as it was the only change from their squad of the opening Test defeat at Kingsmead in Durban. He made 32 and 01 in that game as the selection committee went ahead with Matthew Breetzke into the squad.  

The inclusion of Breetzke means a certain change in the batting line-up. Their head coach also confirmed that Ryan Rickelton will take the wicket-keeping gloves, which means Kyle Verreynne, who hasn’t scored a Test fifty in his last 13 innings, is very unlikely to make the starting XI.   

South Africa’s full 17-member squad for the second Test vs Australia

Matthew Breetzke has played in two Tests for the Proteas in Bangladesh in October 2024 and Zimbabwe in July 2025 with 14 runs to his name. He has a first-class average of 37.03 and last played a FC game in February. Recently, he scored a century in the first ODI in Durban. 

“Matt has been part of the squad before. The fact that his ODI form is as hot as it is giving him an inside lane and, more importantly, it's the attitude and the character Matt brings and has.” Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s coach, expressed.

“With Ricks taking the gloves, there are decisions to be made over whether he does move down the order or whether he can continue to open the batting, which he has done before.” He addressed.

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Tony de Zorzi, who continues to recover, hasn’t been considered. Their premier pacer, Kagiso Rabada, who sat out of the Durban Test, is expected to be fit to play the second game and could replace one of the spinners between Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj. 

South Africa’s squad for the second Test vs Australia-

Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne

How South Africa lost the opening Test vs Australia

During the opening red-ball encounter, Australia posted a massive score of 390 runs in the first innings, thanks to Matt Renshaw’s superb knock of 190 runs, shouldering on 21 boundaries and one six. He put up a 134-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon during the innings.

South Africa were bundled out for just 284 runs in their first innings with none of the batters recording a fifty, failing to convert their starts. The visitors declared on 314/6 in their second innings as Renshaw again smashed a superb knock of 82 runs off 99 balls.

See Also: Watch: Travis Head mocks Temba Bavuma after Australia’s 214-run win vs South Africa at Durban

The Proteas tried hard to survive the fifth day but were bundled out for 206 runs. Josh Hazlewood returned with figures of 6/49 to earn the victory by 214 runs and take the 1-0 lead in the series.