Skipper Pat Cummins said he “can’t wait” to play in Australia’s first Test series in South Africa since the infamous “Sandpapergate” affair, and he intends to use one-day games beforehand to prepare.

The next assignment for Australia after drawing a two-Test series against Bangladesh is three ODIs in Zimbabwe and another three in South Africa in late September.

They then play Tests in Durban, Gqeberha and Cape Town in October.

Cummins indicated he could miss the Zimbabwe leg, but would make himself available for some of the South Africa white-ball games.

It is likely to be a similar scenario for fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

“I’m not sure I should say this, but I think the focus is on the Test series,” said Cummins after their innings and 51-run thrashing of Bangladesh in Mackay on Sunday (August 23, 2026).

“So a lot of the white-ball (series), and how we play that, would be with an eye to the red ball.” “So I’d imagine it’d be one, two, probably a maximum of three games out of those six.”

Cummins, who remains Australia’s official ODI captain, has played just two from a possible 28 matches in the format since the 2023 World Cup.

Hazlewood told reporters in Mackay he too expected to play some of the 50-over series while Starc said he would “do what he’s told”.

All three have prioritised Tests over limited-overs cricket in recent years.

The Tests in South Africa will be Australia’s first in the country since a 2018 ball-tampering scandal rocked the sport.

Steve Smith was banned for a year and sacked as captain after conspiring to alter the ball using sandpaper during the third Test in Cape Town, while David Warner was suspended for 12 months.

Cummins called the series “big” with revenge on his mind after Australia lost the World Test Championship final to the Proteas at Lord’s last year.

“We had a big series against them a couple of years ago in Australia (in 2022-23) and we probably exceeded expectations and played really well,” said Cummins of their 2-0 series win.

“They got us back at Lord’s last year and outplayed us. So it’s going to be big in their home conditions and places we have haven’t played for quite a while.

“Even the difference between Durban to, say, Cape Town can be quite different styles of pitches.

“That’s why I love playing Test cricket. It’s all different conditions, different opponents, different parts of the world. Can’t wait.”

Only Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Smith, Nathan Lyon, and Matt Renshaw have played Test cricket in South Africa.

Opener Renshaw is likely to hold his place despite a tepid return in Mackay after three years away, with the big question whether Marnus Labuschagne should be on the plane.

The number three made just 36 runs in three knocks against Bangladesh and has not scored a century since 2023.

“I did say a couple of days ago — and I think it still stands — that he’s been batting fantastically well off the field,” said Cummins. “But it doesn’t mean much. You’ve got to convert that into runs out there.”

Australian paceman Mitchell Starc took five wickets in his first four overs ​of the second test against Bangladesh in ‌a brutal spell of swing bowling on ​a bouncy, Gabba-style wicket in ⁠Mackay, Queensland on Saturday (August 22, 2026).

The left-armer removed both Bangladesh openers, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicketkeeper Litton ‌Das, for ducks to leave Bangladesh at 12 for five.

Opener Shadman ‌Islam was out with the first ‌ball ⁠of the match after sending a ⁠thick edge flying to Cameron Green in the gully. Meanwhile, Opener Tanzid Hasan followed in Starc’s next over ​with a loose drive ‌, sending a nick to Beau Webster in the slips, before Shanto was trapped lbw on the next ball, leaving Bangladesh ‌at 9 for three.

Starc grabbed his ​fourth wicket when number three Mominul Haque drove at a full, ⁠wider delivery, nicking to Green at the gully.

Earlier, skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field.

“The wicket looks pretty good but if there is any moisture in it it might be this morning,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said.

Australia announced a 13-man squad earlier this week, with only one change for the second test. It dropped Jake Weatherald and recalled Matt Renshaw, who will open the batting, after a surprising loss to Bangladesh in the first test last weekend in Darwin.

Bangladesh also made one change — Shoriful Islam comes in for Ebadot Hossain.

The match began under sunny skies at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, a coastal city in Queensland state about 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of the capital Brisbane.

Bangladesh’s first test win in Australia put pressure on national cricket selectors for an overhaul, but the bulk of the aging squad was retained despite being outplayed in Darwin, where the likes of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanzid Hasan made the most of the tropical conditions.

It was a tale of two halves, but with a predictable ending for Australia as it blew past Bangladesh in a 10-wicket win at the ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Thursday, thereby becoming the first side to seal a semifinal spot in the Women’s ODI World Cup.

Errant lines, generous extras, and an uncharacteristically sloppy fielding helped Bangladesh huff and puff its way to 198 for nine, with Phoebe Litchfield and Alyssa Healy featuring in the gaffes reel. But the pair compensated in the best way possible, nullifying a usually wily Bangladeshi bowling unit — sans Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter — with expert precision.

After a slow start, Phoebe picked two boundaries off Fariha Trisna to set the course for the rest of the innings. Healy soon joined the party and the two helped Australia put up 78 runs by the end of the PowerPlay and enter triple figures in 13.5 overs — its quickest this campaign.

The end was quick for Bangladesh, thanks to exhibition hitting from the duo — Healy registering her second consecutive ton this tournament while Litchfield ticked off her eighth ODI half-century along the way.

Earlier, Bangladesh opted to bat, placing faith once again in its ability to mount a stubborn defence.

Missed opportunities

Litchfield gave Rubya Haider an early reprieve, while Healy’s spill denied Darcie Brown an early celebration. Despite Fargana Hoque falling in the ninth over, Bangladesh’s calculated approach helped it see off the PowerPlay with the scoreboard reading 37 for one — its best showing in the tournament.

Rubya chose to live life on the edge, and luck favoured her, with the edges running away to the fence. She fell short of a deserved fifty, holing out to Tahlia McGrath at mid-on. Sharmin soon followed suit similarly.

Alana King, managing close to 4.5 degrees of turn, claimed the prized scalps of Nigar Sultana and Shorna Akter, the latter failing to replicate her pyrotechnics from the previous game. Sobhana Mostary fought hard with a half-century to drag Bangladesh to a workable score, but it was always going to be a cakewalk for the dominant Aussies, who sealed the win with 25.1 overs to spare.

The scores: Bangladesh 198/9 in 50 overs (Sobhana Mostary 66 n.o., Rubya Haider 44) lost to Australia 202/0 in 24.5 overs (Alyssa Healy 113 n.o., Phoebe Litchfield 84 n.o.).

Toss: Bangladesh; PoM: Alana King.