SA vs AUS: Josh Inglis to rejoin Australia Test squad after finger injury

Australia wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis is set to rejoin the national squad ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha. Inglis fractured his right index finger while fielding during the first ODI in Durban and returned to Australia for further assessment.

He avoided surgery, and a recent scan showed promising progress, prompting his quick return to the team. His absence left a major hole in the squad as Australia had to fill two spots, with Inglis providing both wicketkeeping and batting cover.

The selection committee called Sam Harper from the Australia A tour of India alongside the surprise recall of Nic Maddinson. Inglis will continue his recovery from injury and could feature in the remaining two Tests.

"It really turned into two players replacing Josh Inglis. If you looked at it like that, it wasn't [just] another batter coming in. We had sort of flexibility with Josh, and then Harper obviously takes the back-up glove role, and then you've got where we got to with Nic,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said.

Following Inglis' injury, Cameron Green also missed the first Test in Durban due to an abdominal injury he sustained in the third ODI in Potchefstroom. The uncertainty remains over his availability for the second Test, and McDonald has said that he was unlikely to be available as an allrounder for the entire series.

Matt Renshaw hits century

As a result, Australia had to rejig their batting order for the first Test, with Maddinson asked to open the innings, playing his first first-class game since March 2025. However, he didn’t have a memorable return, getting dismissed for a 33-ball duck, the longest by an Australian opener in Tests.

However, Matt Renshaw dropping down to number five proved to be a major success as he helped his team recover from a precarious position of 124/6 with his second Test hundred.