SYDNEY: Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will rejoin the Test squad in South Africa next week after receiving positive news on his fractured finger, adding further complexity to the team’s selection decisions for the remainder of the series.
Inglis, 31, suffered the injury to his right index finger while keeping during the first One-Day International (ODI) in Durban late last month. He was subsequently ruled out of the remaining ODIs and the opening Test, returning home to Perth for assessment and recovery. A recent scan showed promising progress, confirming he would avoid surgery.
He is expected to fly to Gqeberha next week to link up with the squad ahead of the second Test, scheduled for October 18–22 at St George’s Park. Team officials will assess whether he is fit to play in that match or the third Test in Cape Town.
His return comes as all-rounder Cameron Green continues his recovery from an abdominal strain sustained during the final ODI. Green was unavailable for the first Test in Durban, where Australia reached 187 for six on an interrupted opening day.
Inglis’s absence forced several tactical adjustments. Sam Harper was called up as cover behind the stumps, while Nic Maddinson earned a surprise recall to open the batting in Durban. Maddinson, playing his first Test since 2016, recorded a 33-ball duck—the longest by an Australian opener in Test history.
Matthew Renshaw, who batted at number five and remained unbeaten on 46 on Day 1, noted that he remains flexible about his role. “I just prepare as much as I can for whatever position,” Renshaw said. “It’s about staying versatile.”
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Head coach Andrew McDonald previously acknowledged that losing Inglis effectively required two tactical replacements, given the flexibility the Western Australian provides as a middle-order batter and specialist keeper. Should either Inglis or Green return to the XI, selection dynamics could shift significantly at the top of the order.
The three-Test tour is Australia’s first Test series in South Africa since 2018. The second Test begins on October 18 in Gqeberha, followed by the series finale in Cape Town starting October 27.
