Sports · Cricket · 35 mins ago
Australia to review Test team after South Africa series defeat
Australia lost the Test series 2-1 to South Africa, surrendering an early lead after losing the final two matches.
Captain Pat Cummins said the team would review its approach and consider personnel changes after the defeat.
Coach Andrew McDonald said Marnus Labuschagne's place will be reassessed, but stopped short of saying he would be dropped.
Labuschagne has gone 16 Test innings without a half-century, while Steve Smith has said he wants to play against New Zealand once he recovers from a neck injury.
Australia will play a four-Test series against New Zealand starting December 9, with selectors to assess the team before then.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy urged Cricket Australia to replace selection chair George Bailey and explore whether Ricky Ponting would take over as coach, but no leadership changes have been announced.
Australia will review its Test team after losing the South Africa series 2-1.
Captain Pat Cummins said changes to the team’s approach and personnel would be considered.
Coach Andrew McDonald said he would not make rash decisions and did not rule out Marnus Labuschagne for the New Zealand Tests.
Ian Healy called for Cricket Australia to consider Ricky Ponting as coach and said selection chairman George Bailey should move on.
Australia’s next Test assignment is a four-match series against New Zealand, starting in Perth on December 9.
- Who
- Australia’s Test team, led by captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald.
- What
- The team will review its performance and consider changes after losing the South Africa series 2-1.
- When
- The review was announced after the series ended in late October 2026; Cummins said to allow a couple of weeks to work out changes.
- Where
- The series defeat was in South Africa, including the final Test in Cape Town.
- Why
- Australia lost the final two Tests after taking a 1-0 lead, and Cummins said the team needed to improve.
Ian Healy
Australia’s current coaching and selection leadership
Coaching
Ian Healy
Healy said Cricket Australia should check whether Ricky Ponting was available to replace Andrew McDonald.
Australia’s current coaching and selection leadership
McDonald said he would not make rash decisions and planned to assess his position in April and May.
Selection
Ian Healy
Healy said it was time for George Bailey to move on as selection chair.
Australia’s current coaching and selection leadership
McDonald and the selectors are due to review the South Africa tour; no source states that Bailey plans to resign.
Australia lost the final two Tests against South Africa and conceded the series 2-1.
Cummins said the team would consider changes to its approach and personnel.
Cummins said to allow a couple of weeks for the team to work out what needed to change.
McDonald and fellow selectors were set to review Australia’s South Africa tour.
Australia’s four-match Test series against New Zealand is scheduled to begin in Perth.
- Series result
- South Africa won 2-1
- Final Test
- Australia lost by 176 runs in Cape Town
- Next opponent
- New Zealand
- Next series
- Four Tests, starting December 9 in Perth
- Labuschagne in Cape Town
- Scored 0 and 4
- McDonald’s contract
- Expires after next year’s ODI World Cup
6 sources
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What people are saying
I think it's always the case after losing a series [that changes are talked about], and it's probably fair, we lost two games in a row
We are a very good side, but I think we need to get a little bit better if we want to get back to No. 1 ... so maybe that's a change of style, maybe it's a change of personnel in some instances. Give us a couple of weeks and work it out.
But my firm focus is we’ve got, I think, 10 Test matches in the next three months, so I’m looking at that, and we’re always continuing to discuss what everything looks like with every staff member.
I think it’s time [for him] to move on.