Anrich Nortje named in South Africa’s preliminary squad for Australia Test series

South Africa has named an 18-player preliminary squad for the upcoming first Test against Australia, set to begin on October 9 at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban. Fast bowler Anrich Nortje returns to the red-ball setup for the first time since February 2023, while 30-year-old batter Marques Ackerman received his maiden Test call-up.

Head coach Shukri Conrad explained that a two-day intra-squad match and scenario training will help selectors finalize the official 15-player squad. Management will also monitor the fitness and match readiness of pacer Kagiso Rabada ahead of the series opener.