South Africa Beats Australia 2-1 in Tests
Marco Jansen's all-round performance helped South Africa win the Test series and regain the top spot in the ICC rankings.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Tennis
South Africa defeated Australia 2-1 in the Test series after losing the opening match, and reclaimed the No 1 position in the ICC Test rankings. Marco Jansen was named Player of the Series.
Why it matters
The result returns South Africa to the top of the ICC Test rankings for the first time since 2016. Jansen's contributions with both bat and ball shaped the outcome after a difficult start to the series.
Jansen's series totals of 13 wickets and 198 runs were recorded across three Tests, with South Africa winning 2-1 after dropping the first match. The detailed scorecards for each match are not included in the extraction.
The players
Marco Jansen
Marco Jansen is a 26-year-old South African all-rounder who was named Player of the Series after taking 13 wickets and scoring 198 runs.
Temba Bavuma
Temba Bavuma is the captain of the South African Test cricket team, whose partnership with Jansen during the second Test helped turn the match.
The details
Jansen swung the new ball and extracted movement with the old ball, while his partnership with captain Temba Bavuma during the second Test at St George's Park in Gqeberha changed the course of that match. South Africa's reclaiming of the No 1 ranking came as a direct result of the series win.
Timeline
During the second Test at St George's Park in Gqeberha, Jansen and Bavuma's partnership shifted the match.
The series concluded in 2026, with South Africa winning 2-1 and reclaiming the top ICC Test ranking.
Season Trajectory
South Africa's return to the top of the ICC Test rankings is its first since 2016, marking a reversal in the country's standing in the longer format. The series win shifts the competitive order among leading Test nations.
South Africa's No 1 ranking and Jansen's series performance establish him as a central figure in the team's Test plans going forward. Fantasy and roster observers tracking all-rounders should note his 13 wickets and 198 runs across the series.
The takeaway
Jansen's combined bowling and batting output, including a key partnership in the second Test, shows how a single all-rounder can change the outcome of a series. Tracking ranking movements after a result like this one clarifies where teams stand in the longer format.
Further reading
For more on the sport's competitive landscape, see Tennis.
