Aussie young gun put in quarantine amid first Test selection mystery
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Young all-rounder Cooper Connolly was put in quarantine with a head cold before the first Test of the South Africa series, amid uncertainty about how the Australian XI in Durban will look.
South Africa has named its XI for the first Test of the three-match series – and superstar quick Kagiso Rabada is absent.
Cooper Connolly at training ahead of the first Test. Gerhard Duraan/Gallo ImagesGetty Images
According to reports, Connolly, 23, put on a mask and left training in a separate car to the team bus.
He is one of several players in selection limbo ahead of the first Test starting on Friday, with the brains trust set to take a final look at the spinning deck on match morning before finalising the side.
The big watch for Australia’s XI is who replaces Cameron Green at No.5. Connolly, Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper are the candidates.
Australia also has two spinners in its squad and could go down the same route as South Africa with Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann in the mix.
Rabada was in doubt coming into the series with a hamstring injury and has not played since the IPL in May.
The fast bowler trained in Durban but didn’t pass his fitness test.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma told reporters the decision to leave him out was not an easy one to make.
“I think we did go the conservative route to give him a couple of extra days to get as close as he can be to 100 per cent fitness,” Bavuma said.
“As soon as he gets the green light, we expect him to be within that starting line-up.”
The man who takes his place is Anrich Nortje, who hasn’t played a Test since March 2023.
The South Africans have gone with two spinners in Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, while left-armer Marco Jansen will take the new ball alongside Nortje.
Wiaan Mulder is the all-rounder option.
Nortje was selected over Dane Paterson and Gerald Coetzee. The latter has not played red-ball cricket since November 2024. Paterson’s last Test was only a month later.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubss, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Anrich Nortje
