Josh Inglis to rejoin Australia squad ahead of second Test against Proteas

Inglis is set to travel to Gqeberha ahead of the second Test, where the Australian medical staff will assess his progress before determining whether he can be considered for selection.

The 31-year-old sustained the injury during the first ODI in Durban late last month and returned home for further assessment. Encouraging scan results have raised hopes of a return, although his availability for the second Test remains uncertain, with the final match in Cape Town another potential target.

His return to the squad would provide a timely boost for Australia, who have also been without Cameron Green since the allrounder suffered an abdominal strain in the final ODI in Potchefstroom.

Green was ruled out of the series opener in Durban, and there are doubts over whether he will be fit enough to contribute as an allrounder for the remainder of the tour.

Inglis' absence forced Australia to make multiple changes to their squad, with Sam Harper brought in from the Australia A tour of India to provide wicketkeeping cover and Nic Maddinson recalled to bolster the batting.

"It really turned into two players replacing Josh Inglis," head coach Andrew McDonald said.

"If you looked at it like that, it wasn't (just) another batter coming in. We had sort of flexibility with Josh and then Harper obviously takes the back-up glove role and then you've got where we got to with Nic."

Maddinson was subsequently thrust into the opening position for his first first-class appearance since March 2025. The left-hander, playing his first Test since December 2016, endured a difficult return as he was dismissed for a 33-ball duck in the first innings.