South Africa opener Tony de Zorzi will miss the first Test against Australia after picking up a hamstring injury during the third ODI at Potchefstroom. The match at Kingsmead, Durban, is scheduled to begin on October 9, 2026.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) classified the injury as mild in an official statement, though it is serious enough to keep De Zorzi out of the series opener entirely. CSA has chosen to retain its extended 18-player preliminary squad without calling in a direct replacement, with the final 15-man group expected to be confirmed early next week.
De Zorzi is the fifth South African player to suffer a hamstring problem over the past two months, following Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka.
How serious is De Zorzi’s injury and who could replace him in the XI?
De Zorzi’s unavailability strengthens the case for Marques Ackerman, a top-order batter who earned his place in the squad through consistent showings for South Africa A. Ackerman’s most notable contribution was a career-best 256 against Bangladesh A. He is competing for a position in the final XI alongside Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder and David Bedingham, the last of whom is also an option at number five.
What is the latest on South Africa’s other hamstring concerns ahead of the series?
Rabada sustained his hamstring during winter training and has been included in the preliminary squad. A call on whether he will be available for the Durban Test will be made after the two-day intra-squad fixture that began on October 4, 2026, with CSA monitoring his progress closely.
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Ngidi, Baartman and Maphaka have all been ruled out of the Australia series altogether. The three bowlers are, however, expected to return for a busy home summer that will also feature tours by Bangladesh and England. Ngidi provided a brief personal update at the event marking the release of the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on October 2, 2026, saying he is back running already, though he stopped short of disclosing the full extent of his injury.
“I’m not allowed to disclose anything. But all I can tell you is, so far, so good. I’m back running already. That’s about as much as I can let you know,” Ngidi said.
