The ghosts of Sandpapergate are about to be confronted. Pat Cummins has declared he “can’t wait” to lead Australia back to South Africa for their first Test series in the country since the infamous ball-tampering scandal rocked cricket in 2018, and he’s prepared to use white-ball matches as red-ball preparation to ensure his side are primed for the challenge.

Seven years. That’s how long it’s been since Australian cricketers played Test cricket on South African soil. Seven years since Steve Smith was banned for a year and stripped of the captaincy after conspiring to alter the ball using sandpaper during the third Test in Cape Town. Seven years since David Warner copped a 12-month suspension and Australian cricket’s reputation took a battering it’s still recovering from.

Now, finally, the Baggy Greens return. And skipper Cummins is treating the three-Test series in Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town this October with the seriousness it deserves, even if that means playing limited-overs cricket he’d normally skip to ensure he’s battle-ready when the red ball comes out.

This isn’t just another Test series. This is unfinished business. This is redemption. And Cummins isn’t hiding from it.

ODI prep for test warfare

Australia’s next assignment following their innings and 51-run thrashing of Bangladesh in Mackay sees them tackle three ODIs in Zimbabwe and another three in South Africa in late September before the October Test series begins. Typically, Cummins, who has played just two of a possible 28 ODI matches since the 2023 World Cup, would give the 50-over format a swerve to preserve his body for Test cricket.

Not this time.

“I’m not sure I should say this, but I think the focus is on the Test series,” Cummins admitted after Sunday’s Bangladesh victory. “So a lot of the white-ball (series), and how we play that, would be with an eye to the red ball. So I’d imagine it’d be one, two, probably a maximum of three games out of those six.”

It’s a telling admission. Cummins, who remains Australia’s official ODI captain despite his sporadic appearances, is willing to use limited-overs cricket as glorified Test match preparation. He’ll likely miss the Zimbabwe leg entirely but make himself available for some of the South Africa white-ball games to acclimatise to conditions, find rhythm, and build towards the main event.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are expected to follow similar plans. Hazlewood confirmed he anticipated playing some of the 50-over series, whilst Starc offered the wonderfully pragmatic response that he’d “do what he’s told”. All three have prioritised Tests over limited-overs cricket in recent years, and this series warrants that prioritisation more than most.

Revenge on the mind

Cummins isn’t just treating this tour as a return to the scene of Australian cricket’s darkest hour. He’s approaching it as a chance for revenge after South Africa outplayed Australia to win the World Test Championship final at Lord’s last year.

“We had a big series against them a couple of years ago in Australia (in 2022-23) and we probably exceeded expectations and played really well,” Cummins said, referencing their 2-0 series win on home soil. “They got us back at Lord’s last year and outplayed us. So it’s going to be big in their home conditions and places we haven’t played for in quite a while.”

Now the rubber match takes place on South African soil, where conditions will be unfamiliar, pitches will vary dramatically from venue to venue, and Australia haven’t played Test cricket since 2018.

“Even the difference between Durban to, say, Cape Town can be quite different styles of pitches,” Cummins noted. “That’s why I love playing Test cricket. It’s all different conditions, different opponents, different parts of the world. Can’t wait.”

Experience in short supply

Only six current Australian players have Test cricket experience in South Africa: Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, and Matt Renshaw. That’s a frighteningly small group considering the challenges awaiting them, varying conditions across three venues, hostile crowds nursing seven years of antagonism, and a Proteas side hungry to defend home turf.

Renshaw is likely to hold his opening spot despite a tepid return in Mackay after three years away from Test cricket. But the big selection question mark hovers ominously over Marnus Labuschagne, whose form crisis shows no signs of abating.

The number three managed just 36 runs across three innings against Bangladesh and hasn’t scored a century since 2023, a drought that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore as South Africa looms large.

“I did say a couple of days ago, and I think it still stands, that he’s been batting fantastically well off the field,” Cummins said diplomatically. “But it doesn’t mean much. You’ve got to convert that into runs out there.”

It’s a pointed comment. Labuschagne’s place on the plane to South Africa is far from guaranteed, and selectors will need to decide whether form or experience takes precedence when constructing their touring squad.

The sandpapergate shadow

No matter how much Australia try to frame this tour around cricket, revenge for Lord’s, different conditions, competitive Test series, the Sandpapergate shadow looms large. This is the first time Australian cricketers will play Test cricket in South Africa since that Cape Town scandal shook the sport to its foundations.

Smith and Warner, both banned for their roles in the affair, have rebuilt their reputations and remain integral to Australia’s plans. But the emotional weight of returning to the scene will be undeniable. The South African crowds won’t let them forget.

Cummins, who wasn’t involved in the scandal but has inherited the captaincy in its aftermath, must navigate those distractions whilst ensuring his team stays focused on the cricket that matters.