Rabada Primed to Return as South Africa Ring the Changes for Gqeberha Second Test

South Africa will seek to prove their rise to the top of Test cricket was no accident when they bid to level the series against Australia in the second Test starting Sunday in Gqeberha, and they are set to welcome back their spearhead for the fight.

Kagiso Rabada missed the 214-run defeat in Durban with a hamstring injury but trained strongly this week and is now in contention at St George's Park, where Australia's most recent Test visit eight years ago saw him take 11 wickets. It would be his first outing since the Indian Premier League in May, yet Australia assistant coach Matthew Wade warned the tourists to expect his trademark aggression: the quick thrives on confrontation and keeps coming all Test match, and his pressure would give the hosts real versatility.

The hosts are also set to overhaul their batting. Tristan Stubbs paid for scores of 32 and 1 in Durban and has been omitted from the 17-man squad, with Matthew Breetzke recalled on the back of hot white-ball form despite having played no red-ball cricket since February. Ryan Rickelton is primed to take the gloves from Kyle Verreynne, a move South Africa's fielding coach Kruger van Wyk backed fully, saying the batter never stops doing his keeping work.

Australia, meanwhile, expect Cameron Green to miss out again — the all-rounder has only just returned to batting in the nets and is likelier for the Cape Town finale — and may resist changes after such an emphatic opening win.