Tristan Stubbs axed for the second South Africa-Australia Test after a humiliating 214-defeat at Kingsmead

The right-handed middle-order batsman scored 32 and 1 in the opening Test at Kingsmead, Durban as the Proteas were hammered by the Aussies.

South Africa middle-order batsman Tristan Stubbs has been shown the door ahead of the second Test against Australia at the St. George Oval in Gqeberha, starting on Sunday.

South Africa's Tristan Stubbs walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal on day four of the first Test match between South Africa and Australia. (AFP)

Earlier this week, the Proteas lost the opening Test of the three-game series by 214 runs at Kingsmead, Durban. Stubbs had a poor outing with the bat and yielded scores of 32 and 1. Stubbs didn’t do well either in the preceding ODI series. He played two games and scored 20 runs. The 26-year-old is the only change in the Proteas squad from the first Test, and Matthew Breetzke takes his place.

Breetzke doesn’t have strong Test credentials, having played just two games and scored 14 runs in three innings. However, in the ODI series against the Aussies last month, he scored 112 in the first game and followed it up with scores of 34 and 25. Clearly, South Africa are banking on his recent form, although in a different format.

"Matt has been part of the squad before. The fact that his ODI form is as hot as it is gave him an inside lane and, more importantly, it's the attitude and the character Matt brings and has," Shukri Conrad, the team's head coach, said.

Conrad also let it be known that Ryan Rickelton will keep wicket in the second game, which means Kyle Verreynne is set to lose his place in the Playing XI. The head coach also said that Rickelton might be asked to bat down the order from his opening slot, which hints at another change in the playing XI.

“With Ricks taking the gloves, there are decisions to be made over whether he does move down the order or whether he can continue to open the batting, which he has done before.”

Kagiso Rabada, meanwhile, is set to return after missing the first game due to a hamstring problem. So, there are going to be more changes for South Africa in the Playing XI. At Kingsmead, the Proteas had a good opening day but thereafter trailed in the remainder of the game. Conrad hopes to turn it around at Gqeberha.

"There are a few things to consider before we look at the final XI, but we are hell of a lot excited. But we have had the opportunity to lick our wounds and turn this ship in the right direction," he said.

Squad:

Temba Bavuma (capt), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.