Proteas Name 16-Man Squad for Australia ODI Series As Gerald Coetzee Returns
- Temba Bavuma will lead a strong Proteas group when Australia arrive for a 3-match ODI series later this month
- South Africa have mixed established names with emerging talent as preparations continue for the 2027 World Cup
- The Proteas will play across Durban, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom in their first home series of the summer
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The Proteas have their first major home assignment of the summer firmly in sight after naming a 16-man squad for the 3-match ODI series against Australia, with Temba Bavuma returning to lead the side and Gerald Coetzee making his comeback to 50-over cricket.
The squad announcement on Monday, 7 September 2026, brings several familiar faces back into the ODI setup. Coetzee's inclusion is particularly notable, with the 25-year-old last playing an ODI at the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India.
South Africa's upcoming clash with Australia also comes at an important point in their longer-term planning. The 2027 Cricket World Cup, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is now just over a year away.
Head coach Shukri Conrad said the Australia series would provide an important opportunity to assess the squad.
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“It’s exciting to start our home summer against Australia in what will no doubt be a competitive series,” Conrad said.
Kagiso Rabada misses Australia series
Kagiso Rabada will not feature after being ruled out through injury.
“Unfortunately, Kagiso (Rabada) will miss out on this series due to injury, but his absence creates an opportunity for the other players to step up,” Conrad said.
He also welcomed Coetzee's return, adding:
“It’s great to see Gerald back in the fold and, by all accounts, he’s been bowling nice and quickly.”
Full Proteas squad
The 16-man Proteas squad is:
- Temba Bavuma (captain)
- Ottneil Baartman
- Corbin Bosch
- Matthew Breetzke
- Gerald Coetzee
- Quinton de Kock
- Tony de Zorzi
- Bjorn Fortuin
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kwena Maphaka
- Aiden Markram
- David Miller
- Lungi Ngidi
- Ryan Rickelton
- Tristan Stubbs
The first ODI takes place in Durban on 24 September at 10 am, followed by the Pink Day clash at the Wanderers on 27 September at 10 am. The series concludes in Potchefstroom on 30 September at 1:30 pm.
South Africa last faced Australia at home in 2023, recovering from 2-0 down to win that 5-match series 3-2.
2027 Cricket World Cup venues set the stage
Briefly News previously reported that the ICC confirmed the 12 host cities for the 2027 Cricket World Cup across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia on 30 July 2026.
South Africa will host matches across 8 venues, while Zimbabwe will stage games in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Namibia will host matches in Windhoek.
The tournament will feature 14 teams and 57 matches, with the 2027 edition marking the men's Cricket World Cup's return to Africa for the first time since 2003.
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Source: Briefly News
