Edwards called up to Australia's ODI squad for South Africa series

The 2026 ODI series between South Africa and Australia serves as a key preparation period for both nations ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup. The upcoming tour also includes a Test series, marking Australia’s first return to South Africa since the 2018 ball-tampering incident.

Australia enters the series following a 3-0 sweep of Zimbabwe in Harare. During that series, 23-year-old Cooper Connolly was named Player of the Series after scoring 51, 78, and 21, strengthening his position for a permanent role at No. 3. The Australian squad has been further bolstered by the return of captain Pat Cummins and pace bowler Mitchell Starc, alongside the inclusion of Josh Hazlewood.

The Australian bowling lineup faces selection decisions following Nathan Ellis’s performance in Zimbabwe, where he claimed nine wickets. However, the squad has seen recent changes due to injury and availability; Billy Stanlake has been ruled out of the tour with a side strain, and Spencer Johnson is returning home.

South Africa’s batting lineup is led by captain Temba Bavuma and features power hitters including Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Quinton de Kock. While the bowling attack is missing Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Nandre Burger, the team retains experience through Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, and Keshav Maharaj.

Historically, South Africa has maintained a strong record against Australia in this format, having won their last five bilateral ODI series against them since 2014. This includes a 2-1 victory in Australia last August. Conversely, Australia had lost four of their previous bilateral ODI series prior to their recent success against Zimbabwe.