Pat Cummins acknowledges that shifting Matt Renshaw from the No. 5 position would require a strong justification, yet he emphasized that Australia remains receptive to adjusting the batting order when conditions favor a different setup.Matt Renshaw’s aggregate of 272 runs — 190 in the first innings and 82 in the second — formed the foundation of one of Australia’s standout overseas victories in Durban. The side followed Cummins’ pre‑match urging to grind it out, producing a classic five‑day Test rather than the rapid‑fire contests they have encountered recently.Renshaw’s placement at No. 5 arose solely from Cameron Green’s injury, which prompted Australia to reconsider its approach. His recent one‑day form in the middle order helped earn Nic Maddinson a recall as opener — nearly a decade since his last Test appearance — though the side remains open to further reshuffling among Maddinson, Renshaw and Travis Head. Green’s availability for the second Test in Gqeberha is still unclear.
“Give us a few days, we’ll look at the conditions of the next Test. I mean, it’s got to be pretty compelling to move him [Renshaw] from there,” Cummins said. “But we’ve seen Travis Head down at No. 5 as well. We’re always working out the six batters, or seven plus [Alex Carey] and how is that going to function as a whole? So, if anything, I still think he [Renshaw] can be a great opener, and now he’s got another string to his bow that he’s found this week.
“We’re pretty certain that we like Marn [Labuschagne] at No. 3, Smithy at No. 4, and then, the six and seven felt pretty locked up. I think bringing in Maddo, we really like the idea of bringing that flexibility, that unlocks a lot [such as] Trav back to No. 5, Renners down to No. 5, even Maddo himself at five. We haven’t had that option [in] the last few years where we feel like we’ve got plenty of options at the top.
“We’re very big on that flexibility. I know you’re probably sick of us talking about it but, why not next week, have different openers if the conditions take us somewhere different, or swapping out the batting orders between innings. I think having the structure that we do now with a few guys that can open, that’s really unlocked that.”
Prior to the match, Cummins urged his players to adopt the required tempo. With Australia struggling at 124 for 6, Renshaw delivered the grit the captain sought, grinding through a near‑eight‑hour innings. He was not alone — Cummins and Nathan Lyon forged vital lower‑order partnerships, a point underscored by head coach Andrew McDonald in the build‑up.
Pat Cummins was pleased with Australia’s grind in the Durban Test•AFP/Getty Images
South Africa’s occasional loose shots meant Australia spent less time in the field than they might have, yet they still had to labour on the final day to dismiss Aiden Markram, who compiled 75 runs off 237 deliveries before falling as the ninth wicket.
Australia has not forgotten how to grind out long contests, as shown by last season’s Adelaide Test. After the slip‑ups against Bangladesh in Darwin, however, they intend to carry this resilient approach into a demanding stretch of Test cricket over the next ten months.
“This week has felt a bit more, I don’t know, like the old Test cricket, I reckon. It’s a bit more of a grind,” Cummins said. “[It’s] probably just appreciating that we weren’t as good at those little moments as we could have been [in some Tests]. I think you need to sometimes just grind it out, wait for the game to come to you and we just missed those moments in the past. So us as a group as we look at the next evolution, that’s something we spoke about.”
Australia’s fightback began before the close of day one, when Renshaw and Cummins halted what looked like an imminent collapse. From the second morning onward, South Africa struggled to gain a foothold as the pair added 134 runs for the ninth wicket.
After establishing a 106‑run lead, Australia asserted dominance with quick scoring in the second innings. Although poor light threatened to intervene, the fourth day was played out in full, allowing them to claim four wickets and lay the platform for a final push. Josh Hazlewood’s career‑best figures of 6 for 49 provided the closing flourish on an otherwise flawless four‑day effort.
“Overseas, it’s always tough,” Cummins said. “You never quite know what you’re going to get [in the] first Test … the position we were on day one, six down, [it] felt well behind where we wanted to be. Then, mainly through Renshaw, clawing our way back … and then once we had the lead not giving it back. Sometimes when we have got that far in front, I feel like we haven’t been as ruthless as we could, but I think our standards were very high for the last three or four days. It’s very satisfying.”