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South Africa and Australia are set to renew their ODI rivalry when they lock horns in the first match of the three-game series at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday, September 24. The series is an important part of both teams’ preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia next year.
Australia enter the contest after completing a 3-0 ODI series sweep over Zimbabwe, while South Africa recently returned to 50-over cricket with a 3-0 series win over Namibia. The Proteas, however, will be without several frontline pacers, including Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, while Ottneil Baartman has also been ruled out.
The first ODI also marks the return of several experienced names. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are back for Australia, while Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock and David Miller return to South Africa’s ODI setup. Aiden Markram, however, will miss the series opener due to personal reasons.
Here are three player battles to watch out for in first ODI:
Matthew Breetzke has made a spectacular start to his ODI career and will face one of his biggest challenges yet when South Africa take on Australia. The right-handed batter has scored 59.16 runs per innings across his first 13 ODI knocks and has already registered five consecutive scores of 50 or more at the beginning of his international career.
Breetzke has also already experienced facing Australia, having scored 88 against them previously. His ability to attack from the middle order makes him a particularly dangerous batter if South Africa get off to a strong start.
Standing in his way could be Mitchell Starc, who returns to the Australian ODI setup after missing the preceding series against Zimbabwe. The left-arm quick brings pace, bounce and the ability to generate movement with the new ball.
If Breetzke walks in during the powerplay, Starc’s ability to challenge him with pace and full-length deliveries could produce a fascinating contest. Breetzke’s aggressive strokeplay against Australia’s premier left-arm quick will be one of the major talking points in Durban.
Travis Head remains one of Australia’s most destructive ODI batters, particularly when he gets the opportunity to attack during the opening overs. He also comes into the series after making a major contribution during Australia’s recent 3-0 ODI series victory over Zimbabwe.
South Africa will have to find a way to restrict Head before he settles into his rhythm. That makes Marco Jansen an important figure in this battle.
The tall left-arm all-rounder is expected to carry considerable responsibility in South Africa’s pace attack, particularly with Rabada, Ngidi and Baartman unavailable. Jansen offers bounce and angle from over the wicket and can make life uncomfortable for aggressive top-order batters.
The Head-Jansen contest could therefore be decided by who controls the early phase. Head will look to take the attack to the bowler, while Jansen will aim to use his height, movement and variations in pace to prevent the Australian opener from dominating.
David Miller’s return adds considerable experience to South Africa’s middle order. The 37-year-old has been included in the ODI squad despite not holding a central contract and is set to play his first ODI since March 2025.
Miller also has an impressive record against Australia. He averages 57.38 against them in ODIs and has a career-best score of 139 against the Australians, making the matchup particularly intriguing.
Australia, meanwhile, have the experienced Josh Hazlewood in their attack. The right-arm seamer returned to the ODI squad alongside Starc and Cummins after Australia rotated their pace attack during the Zimbabwe series.
Miller’s ability to accelerate against both pace and spin makes him a key player during the middle and death overs. Hazlewood’s accuracy, subtle variations and ability to hit a disciplined length could force Miller to manufacture shots rather than attack freely.
If South Africa reach the final 15 overs with Miller at the crease, this could become one of the most important individual contests of the match.
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