From a certain vantage point, the health of Test cricket in South Africa appears fragile. For the first time since sporting isolation during apartheid, there will be no red-ball action in the country this summer. Instead, fans must make do with franchise cricket in the SA20.
The next time South Africa play a home Test will be October 2026, 21 months after hosting Pakistan earlier this year. And yet, on the field, the Test side has rarely looked stronger, with 2025 emerging as a defining year.
Ryan Rickelton ended a nine-year wait for a South African Test double century as Pakistan were swept 2-0. In June, a fourth-innings 136 from Aiden Markram, backed by a nine-wicket haul from Kagiso Rabada, sealed a five-wicket win over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s (ICC).
Momentum has continued since. Wiaan Mulder declared on 367 against Zimbabwe in July, closing in on Brian Lara’s record. In October, Keshav Maharaj claimed seven wickets in Rawalpindi to square the series against Pakistan. A month later, Simon Harmer’s 17 wickets powered a historic 2-0 Test series win in India, South Africa’s first there since 2000 (ICC).
Building a winning identity
The year began at a crossroads. Qualification for the World Test Championship final after a tense Boxing Day win over Pakistan offered hope, but also clarity that sustained success was essential for survival in a crowded calendar.
“We needed to become a winning machine,” said head coach Shukri Conrad (Cricket South Africa). With fewer Tests and little margin for error, South Africa committed to maximising every opportunity.
That intent has reshaped the team’s balance. While Kagiso Rabada remains the attack leader, support from Maharaj, Harmer and the versatile Marco Jansen has allowed South Africa to compete in all conditions.
Batting transformation
The biggest shift has come with the bat. Between 2020 and early 2023, South African batters managed just six Test centuries. Since then, they have scored 23 hundreds, including 10 in 2025 alone (ICC).
Lower-order contributions have also surged. South Africa’s batters from seven down averaged 29.51 this year, the best among all Test teams (ICC).
“We all share responsibility,” said Sunuran Muthusamy after his maiden Test century against India (Cricket South Africa).
A new resilience
That resilience was most visible at Lord’s. South Africa recovered from 43-4 on day one and chased 282, the second-highest successful fourth-innings total at the venue (ICC). Captain Temba Bavuma averaged 51.66 across the year and became the fastest skipper to 11 Test wins before a defeat.
Uncertain future beyond the field
Attention now shifts to 2026, with home series against Australia, Bangladesh and England offering a path back to the World Test Championship final.
Yet the contradiction remains. On the field, South Africa are strong, balanced and confident. Off it, Test cricket continues to battle commercial pressures and limited space in the calendar.
For now, excellence is holding the format together. Whether it will be enough in the long run remains unanswered.
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