Maddinson opens as Australia bat in Durban; Sri Lanka name new Test captain — cricket digest 09 Oct 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Maddinson’s decade-long wait ends as Australia choose to bat in Durban opener

Australia won the toss and batted first against South Africa at Kingsmead, handing Nic Maddinson a surprise return to Test cricket after being named to open alongside Travis Head. Pat Cummins opted to bat in sunny conditions, with the surface expected to take turn later in the match.

Matt Renshaw was slotted in at No. 5 and Beau Webster at No. 7, while Cooper Connolly missed out after leaving the final training session with symptoms of a head cold. Cameron Green remains in South Africa after being ruled out of the first Test with an abdominal strain, in the hope he can feature later in the series. South Africa, who confirmed their XI a day early, will be without injured quicks Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi; Anrich Nortje returns to Test cricket after three-and-a-half years, with Keshav Maharaj joined by Simon Harmer in a two-spinner attack, and David Bedingham set to bat at No. 3.

Sri Lanka hand Test captaincy to Kusal Mendis after de Silva steps down

Kusal Mendis has been appointed Sri Lanka’s new Test captain, replacing Dhananjaya de Silva, who stepped down from the role. Sri Lanka’s next Test assignment is the two-match series in Pakistan in November, which will be Mendis’ first series in charge.

De Silva has remained available for selection for that tour, saying he wanted to pass leadership “to the next generation”.

Bangladesh bat first in Abu Dhabi one-off Test and bring in Nayeem Hasan

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto chose to bat against Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Abu Dhabi, following a strong recent trend for captains at the venue to take first use of the pitch.

Bangladesh made changes with Ebadot Hossain coming in for Shoriful Islam, and offspinner Nayeem Hasan added despite not being in the originally announced squad. Afghanistan went with a batting-heavy XI, with Shahidullah at No. 7 and a spin group including Ziaur Rahman Akbar and Qais Ahmed.

New Zealand lose Chapman and Foulkes to injury ahead of India T20Is

Mark Chapman and Zak Foulkes have been ruled out of New Zealand’s five-match T20I series at home against India, with Josh Clarkson and Blair Tickner called up as replacements. Chapman is still recovering from a left-hamstring tear, while Foulkes has a right hip-flexor injury picked up in training.

New Zealand Cricket said Chapman is on track to be available for the ODI series that follows the T20Is, while Foulkes’ return-to-play timeline is yet to be determined. The squad had already been hit by Rachin Ravindra’s shoulder injury, with the T20Is scheduled from October 22 to November 1.

Arunachal Pradesh face Ranji forfeit risk amid factional dispute and court case

Arunachal Pradesh are at risk of forfeiting their Ranji Trophy Plate Group opener against Nagaland on October 11 in Ahmedabad, with the state association caught in a tussle between two factions and a case pending at the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court.

The uncertainty has already had consequences, with Arunachal unable to field an Under-19 side for a Vinoo Mankad Trophy match against Sikkim in Bhubaneswar, and contracted players reportedly still unclear on whether they should travel for the Ranji opener. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said a stay order means the board cannot step in while the matter is sub judice.

In brief

  • Former New Zealand Test opener Jeet Raval has retired from professional cricket ahead of the 2026-27 domestic season, ending a first-class career that brought him 10,127 runs and 24 Tests between 2016 and 2020.
  • Bevon Jacobs will join Brisbane Heat as a short-term replacement for Tom Curran at the start of the BBL, a stint that will see him miss Auckland’s Plunket Shield match against Central Districts beginning on December 15.
  • Australia kept their final selection plans under wraps in Durban right up to the start, with Cooper Connolly’s head-cold symptoms leaving a late call between him and Nic Maddinson before Maddinson was picked to open.
  • Kagiso Rabada was officially ruled out of South Africa’s first Test against Australia in Durban with a hamstring injury, with Anrich Nortje returning and Simon Harmer joining Keshav Maharaj in a two-spinner XI.
  • Pat Cummins said Australia have “moved on” from the 2018 ball-tampering episode as they return to South Africa, adding he is unfazed by any fresh detail in Usman Khawaja’s forthcoming autobiography.
  • Australia’s Test series against South Africa in Durban was framed as a key World Test Championship match-up, with the two sides meeting in South Africa for the first time in Tests since 2018.
  • Pakistan’s rare home T20Is this season begin with a three-match series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, ahead of ODIs and Tests later in the home schedule.
  • India’s home T20I dominance was again in focus after their first-match win over West Indies, leaving the visitors needing back-to-back victories in India to turn the series.
  • India assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak suggested Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be recalled to add experience in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, and said Ishan Kishan has become “much more mature”.
  • West Indies fast bowler Shamar Springer reflected on a long road to international cricket after early promise at Under-19 level, saying he has learned to take his journey one day at a time.
  • Bangladesh women’s captain Nigar Sultana said her side believe they can “surprise any team” as they prepare for their first-ever bilateral ODI series in Australia.
  • In the Sheffield Shield at the WACA, Jack Clayton made 82 and Jimmy Peirson finished 65 not out as Queensland reached 258 for 6 against Western Australia.
  • Shield debutants Bryce Jackson (3 for 36) and Jake Scott (4 for 35) led New South Wales’ attack as Tasmania closed day one on 241 for 9, with Ben McDermott making 77 and Caleb Jewell 50.
  • Ben Manenti’s 91 not out and Jake Lehmann’s 90 helped South Australia take control against Victoria after Jake Weatherald was ruled out with concussion, with SA 352 for 6 leading by 108.
  • Madhya Pradesh left-arm wristspinner Shivang Kumar is in line for a first-class debut as he continues his rise, after a year that included a lead-spinner role for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026.
  • The PSL will again overlap with the IPL in 2027, with the 12th edition scheduled from March 18 to May 2.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo