Cooper Connolly shows symptoms of illness ahead of Durban Test
What's the story
Australia's final training session ahead of the first Test against South Africa in Durban was marred by uncertainty over Cooper Connolly's health. The left-hander left the session separately from his teammates, wearing a mask and showing symptoms of a head cold, as per Cricinfo. Connolly had trained normally earlier in the day, but his condition has now raised concerns about its potential impact on Australia's playing XI for the match.
Team dynamics
Connolly was in line to replace Cameron Green
Connolly, who has played just one Test match against Sri Lanka in early 2025, was considered a possible replacement for the injured Cameron Green.
Nic Maddinson was also in the fray for a surprise return to Test cricket after being called up despite not playing first-class cricket since March 2025.
Connolly's left-arm spin could be useful on the turning Kingsmead surface as it wears down over time.
Game plan
Australia yet to finalize their XI
Australia's captain Pat Cummins confirmed they had their side in mind but wanted to assess the surface one last time.
"We're just trying to work out what we think is the best batting line-up for those conditions, obviously Cam Green's out," said Cummins during a press conference.
Meanwhile, South Africa have confirmed their XI with two frontline spinners, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer.
Adaptability
Cummins urges team to adapt to different game tempos
Cummins has urged his team to be ready for a slower tempo in South Africa if the Test matches take on such a nature.
This comes after Australia's defeat against Bangladesh in Darwin, where their batters struggled on a slower, flatter surface than they were used to.
The captain stressed that both batters and bowlers need to adapt to different tempos of the game.
Focus
Grinding out sessions is key
Cummins stressed the importance of grinding out sessions and not relying solely on big moments like centuries or wickets.
He said, "It might not be the glamorous stuff, but it's that grinding out of session, going for two runs and over, not these major falls or not these whirlwind innings at times. So that's been part of the conversation, just again, whatever tempo gets thrown at us, or what the game needs, just making sure we match that."
The captain also spoke about Marnus Labuschagne's three-year wait for a Test century and emphasized keeping things simple in batting.
Confidence
Cummins feels confident ahead of South Africa series
Cummins, who had a carefully managed build-up to this series with just five overs in the final ODI and eight in two-day warm-up, said he feels confident in his body.
He had returned to international cricket against Bangladesh after suffering a stress fracture of his back.
The captain said he feels fresh and great physically and has a good balance between being extremely fresh for this series.
Words
'I don't need to worry about my back'
"I don't need to worry about my back or how many overs I've never bowled or anything like that, I can just go and play what's in front of me," said Cummins.
"In previous years, you're fighting a tight hamstring or a sore ankle, I've got none of that at the moment. I dare say that won't be the case if I play a lot of these Test matches, but I'm enjoying it at the moment."