South Africa and Bangladesh arrive at the Wanderers with contrasting recent results, but both have players capable of making the opening Test a demanding contest.

The Proteas have climbed to No 1 in the Test rankings following their 2–1 series victory over Australia. Bangladesh travel after a home series defeat against West Indies, although Hridoy’s exceptional batting in the drawn second Test provided encouragement.

The first Test starts in Johannesburg on Sunday, 15 November, with the second beginning at Centurion on 23 November.

South Africa’s recent results

The Proteas’ success against Australia came through a strong response to an emphatic opening defeat.

Australia won by 214 runs at Kingsmead before South Africa levelled the series with an innings-and-31-run victory in Gqeberha. A 176-run win at Newlands completed the turnaround.

That sequence should leave Temba Bavuma’s side confident in their ability to recover from difficult positions. It also provides a reminder that home advantage alone guarantees little. South Africa had to improve significantly after Durban to earn the series.

South Africa’s key players

Kagiso Rabada will be central to their hopes of putting Bangladesh’s top order under early pressure. He reached 350 Test wickets during the Newlands victory, becoming the fastest to the milestone in terms of balls bowled. His pace and ability to threaten both edges make him a particularly demanding prospect with the new ball.

Marco Jansen offers a different angle and steep bounce from his height. In conditions expected to favour seam bowling, his partnership with Rabada could be decisive. Bangladesh’s batsmen will need to judge length quickly and resist following deliveries outside off stump.

Bavuma remains an important figure in the middle order. With Tony de Zorzi and Zubayr Hamza competing for the No 3 position, the captain’s responsibility will include helping convert top-order starts into competitive totals. Conrad has made clear his desire to establish a settled batting combination through the summer.

Simon Harmer also enters with a compelling recent performance behind him. His 10 wickets at Newlands earned him the Player of the Match award, underlining the potential importance of spin even with attention centred on the seamers.

Bangladesh’s recent results

Bangladesh’s most recent series ended in a 1–0 defeat against West Indies.

An eight-wicket loss in the first Test in Dhaka left them needing victory in Sylhet to draw level. They instead secured a draw, finishing on 184-4 in pursuit of 369.

Hridoy was outstanding, following an unbeaten 242 in the first innings with 82 in the second. His 135-run partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim helped Bangladesh avoid another defeat.

Those performances give the visitors something to take into the South African series, although adjusting to the bounce on the Highveld will present a different challenge.

Bangladesh’s key players

Hridoy is the obvious batsman to watch. His Sylhet double-century came when Bangladesh urgently needed a long innings, and he followed it with another meaningful contribution under pressure.

Mushfiqur’s experience will be valuable alongside him. His 49 in the final innings against West Indies helped secure the draw, and Bangladesh will need similar patience if South Africa make early breakthroughs.

With the ball, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud and left-armer Shoriful Islam give Bangladesh several ways to attack. Ebadot Hossain and Khaled Ahmed complete a five-man pace group, reflecting the visitors’ preparations for South African conditions.

Hasan arrives after taking 6-90 in West Indies’ first innings in Sylhet. Reproducing that threat on the Highveld would give Bangladesh a valuable route into the contest, particularly against a South African batting order still settling into place.

South Africa deserve to start favourites. They are, after all, the best team in the world.

Bangladesh’s chances will depend on turning individual performances into sustained pressure: wickets backed by disciplined spells, and promising batting partnerships extended into substantial innings. The hosts will be looking to expose any gaps between the two.

Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images