Smith faces fitness test as Australia drops Maddinson and Harper

Australia’s squad changes for the final Test

Australia has removed both Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper from the squad for the final Test at Newlands. Maddinson was dropped from the side and will fly home to represent New South Wales in their Sheffield Shield match beginning on Friday.

Matt Renshaw will return to open the batting alongside Travis Head following the omission of Maddinson. Maddinson recorded scores of 0, 48, 0 and 8 across his four innings in the series.

George Bailey said the omission is not a permanent discard, noting that Maddinson will be considered for the home summer series against India. Meanwhile, Sam Harper is leaving the tour to be available for Victoria's Sheffield Shield match against Queensland on Saturday.

Josh Inglis has been cleared to resume wicketkeeping duties if Alex Carey suffers any issues during the match.

Selection dilemma: Lyon vs Boland and Labuschagne’s spot

Australia is currently weighing up the selection choice between Boland and Lyon for the Newlands Test.

Chair of selectors George Bailey confirmed there is no change in the debate around Marnus Labuschagne, who has not scored a Test century since August 2023 and has recorded three scores between 31 and 39 in the current series. If Smith is unable to play, Labuschagne is expected to retain his spot, and Cameron Green will return to the side in the middle order.

Smith’s recent form on the South Africa tour

Steven Smith has made scores of 25, 27, 28 and 3 during the current tour. Australia hoped Smith could find a redemption arc in Cape Town.

It was suggested that Smith's return to Cape Town might bring out the best in him. Smith was tipped to step up in the series decider, with reports stating "He'll be fine".

Quotes from captain and coach on Smith’s availability

Head coach Andrew McDonald stated regarding Smith's availability: "We feel like it's going to be a pretty steep progression in terms of [that] he should be available".

Implications for the series outcome

The stakes at the Newlands decider are significant, as the careers of the Australian touring side are on the line. Steve Smith’s potential absence complicates the match, as he remains a doubt for the encounter.

This Test marks Smith’s return to the venue where his full-time captaincy concluded during the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Australia has stated that the demons associated with Cape Town have been removed.

Smith has recently renewed his rivalry with bowler Kagiso Rabada in anticipation of the decider. The squad has also implemented a reshuffle of the batting order to prepare for the contest.

What’s next after the Cape Town Test

The squad’s immediate future follows the omission of Nic Maddinson, who was dropped from the side. The team is currently based in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa.

This city is the country’s oldest and is the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the capital of the Western Cape and the second-most populous city in the country, behind Johannesburg.

The location is situated within the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.