Gambler's ground awaits South Africa, Bangladesh
That Bangladesh have never played a Test here won’t make things any easier for them, especially as they have lost all eight they have contested in South Africa's other, less emphatically grounds
Bangladesh are not nearly as sexy a cricket team as Australia. But they beat Australia in Australia less than three months ago. South Africa will need to juggle those truths going into their Test series against Bangladesh at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Fifteen days ago South Africa completed a rousing 2-1 win over the Aussies — who they consider their biggest rivals — in the most rivetting Test series played in the country in living memory. The 2018 rubber between the sides was also memorable, but for reasons more wrong than right involving physical confrontations, misogyny and ball-tampering.
This time it was all about the cricket. To come out on the right side of the equation, even after losing the first Test, was a tonic for the wider game in South Africa. Suddenly people who seemed to take no more than a passing interest in cricket were agog with questions and opinions. Even those who couldn’t tell a googly from a thigh pad were keen to know what might happen next. The game mattered more in South Africa than it had done for decades.
And now this. Two Tests against a team who have never beaten South Africa, home or away; a team who have yet to grab the South African imagination like Australia, England or India have done. Meh. Let’s go back to the Springboks, even though they lost 21-19 to France in Paris on Friday …
That would be the wrong view. If South Africa win both matches — as the world No. 1 side should in their own conditions against opponents ranked eighth — how does that not push the good vibes even higher? If Bangladesh pull off what would be a shock win — as they could, given their improved pace attack and what they accomplished in Darwin in August — how would that not be among the more remarkable performances in Test history?
It’s a win-win situation, and the Wanderers is exactly the kind of gamblers’ ground where all things are possible. The pitch doesn’t take batting prisoners for the first two days, and again from the second half of the fourth. But the snug outfield is slick. So if you make decent contact you get runs. Add the drama of an electrical storm on any given afternoon and it’s difficult to look away from the action.
That Bangladesh have never played a Test here won’t make things any easier for them, especially as they have lost all eight they have contested on the country’s other, less emphatically South African grounds. Indeed, India are the only Asian side to have tasted success at the Wanderers. It’s that kind of place: know your stuff, otherwise get the hell out of the way. That could be a motto not only for the Wanderers but for Joburg itself.
South Africa have beaten West Indies, India and Sri Lanka in their most recent Wanderers Tests. But they haven’t played a match in the format here since March 2023, and of that XI only six will take their first-hand knowledge of the ground into this match. On top of that, the South Africans have found ways to slip to unexpected defeats in Joburg — against New Zealand in November 1994, and against India in December 2006 and January 2018.
The Wanderers is a tough place to play at the best of times. When you’re new to its harshness or several of your teammates may need a refresher course it’s tougher still. That’s where we are, and that’s why this match looms as unusually intriguing. So Bangladesh are not Australia. So what?
When: November 15 to 19, 2026; 10am local/8am GMT/1.30pm IST
Where: The Wanderers, Johannesburg
What to expect: It’s been hot and largely dry in the country’s biggest city for days, which could mean the pitch offers more turn than is usual for this venue. The weather should play ball during the match, the odd spectacular afternoon thunderstorm notwithstanding.
Team news:
দক্ষিণ আফ্রিকা
Zubayr Hamza and Dane Paterson come in for David Bedingham and Gerald Coetzee. Hamza hasn’t played a Test since February 2024. Paterson will play his first since December 2024.
Confirmed XI: Aiden Markram, Marcus Ackerman, Zubayr Hamza, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
বাংলাদেশ
Having reached 300 only once in their last three completed Test innings, the visitors will feel the need to bolster their batting. That must mean less room for bowlers.
Possible XI: Tanzid Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam.
What they said:
“We will always stay internally focused. I know that sounds cliché, but whatever intensity and focus that we need, we always look at ourselves.” — Temba Bavuma’s plan to bottle what won the series against Australia.
“In these kinds of conditions we sometimes think about an extra batter. We haven’t decided yet whether we are going in with an extra batter or a spinner.” — Najmul Hossain Shanto ponders his options.
