Pat Cummins praises 'really strong' Proteas ahead of eagerly awaited Australia Test return

Australia will first face South Africa in three ODIs later in September, with Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood expected to feature in at least part of the white-ball series as they build towards the Tests.

Cummins is unlikely to play the preceding ODI series in Zimbabwe and suggested he could feature in only one to three of Australia's six limited-overs matches across the two tours.

"I think the focus is the Test series," Cummins said after Australia completed an innings-and-51-run victory over Bangladesh in Mackay.

"So a lot of the white-ball, and how we play that, would be with an eye to the red ball."

The South Africa series will take Australia to Durban, Gqeberha and Cape Town, with the first Test scheduled to begin after a two-day practice match in Potchefstroom.

For Cummins, the tour carries added significance. It will be Australia's first Test visit to South Africa since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, which became known as "Sandpapergate". 

During the third Test in Cape Town, Australia were caught attempting to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper.

Steve Smith was removed as captain and banned for 12 months, while David Warner also received a year-long suspension. Cameron Bancroft, who was filmed using the sandpaper, was banned for nine months.

The Australian captain also has more recent motivation after South Africa defeated his side in the 2025 World Test Championship final at Lord's.

"They're a really strong side," Cummins said. "We had a big series against them here in Australia a couple of years back and we probably exceeded expectations, played really well, and then they got us back at Lord's last year and outplayed us there."

Australia won their 2022-23 home series against South Africa 2-0, but Cummins expects a very different challenge on South African pitches.

The variation between venues is one of the aspects he is looking forward to most, particularly with Australia having had little recent Test experience in the country.

"Even the difference between Durban to, say, Cape Town can be quite different styles of pitches," he said. "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, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith and Matt Renshaw from the current Australian group have previously played a Test in South Africa.

Cummins' limited-overs involvement will also be carefully managed. The quick has played just two ODIs since Australia's 2023 World Cup triumph, while Starc and Hazlewood are also expected to be given opportunities to prepare without compromising their Test workloads.

The series will provide Australia with an early look at conditions ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be staged primarily in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

For now, however, Australia's attention is firmly on the red-ball challenge - and Cummins believes the Proteas will provide a serious test on home soil.

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