Tristan Stubbs Left Out of Gqeberha Test, Ryan Rickelton to Keep Wickets

Tristan Stubbs has been dropped from South Africa’s Test team for the second match against Australia at Gqeberha. He was the only change from the team that lost the first Test in Durban, where he scored 32 and one. Shukri Conrad, the head coach, has also stated that Ryan Rickelton will assume the wicketkeeping gloves for the encounter.

Tristan Stubbs‘ previous Test innings before this series, in India 11 months ago, yielded 94 runs, but his scores in Durban were insufficient to keep his place.

Matthew Breetzke has been named to the squad as Tristan Stubbs ‘ replacement.

Kyle Verreynne, who has not achieved a Test fifty in his last 13 innings, is unlikely to be included in the starting XI as a result of Rickelton taking over keeping duties, although he is still part of the 17-player team.

Why was Breetzke recalled to the Test squad?

Breetzke has played two Tests for South Africa, in Bangladesh in October 2024 and Zimbabwe in July 2025, scoring 14 runs in each. He has a first-class average of 37.03, although his last first-class encounter was in February, and he missed this season’s domestic games while traveling with South Africa’s limited-overs squads to Namibia and then against Australia.

His recall has been prompted in part by his recent white-ball performance. Breetzke made a century in the first ODI against Australia in Durban, and South Africa’s management hopes his form will transfer over to other formats.

Tony de Zorzi, South Africa’s most regular opening partner to Aiden Markram in the last World Test Championship cycle (2023-25), was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. That absence has created the way for Breetzke, who might bat first, or uncapped batter Marques Ackerman, who often bats in the middle of the order.

What does Rickelton’s retention signify for South Africa’s batting lineup?

Rickelton’s relocation behind the stumps forces the team management to make a decision about where he bats.

If Rickelton falls down the order, South Africa will need to find an opener to pair with Markram, which might be Breetzke or Ackerman.

The rest of the 17-player squad remains unaltered from Durban. Kagiso Rabada is scheduled to participate after missing the first Test due to a hamstring injury. He is one of seven speed bowlers in the squad, with Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Dane Paterson, and Corbin Bosch, and Conrad has hinted that the weather may impact the final selection.

Heavy rain is expected on the first day of the match on Sunday. South Africa has also retained three spinners: Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, and Senuran Muthusamy, albeit only one is expected to play. Both Maharaj and Harmer appeared in Durban.

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South Africa squad for the second Test against Australia