The deciding Test Match between South Africa and Australia will conclude in Cape Town after the Proteas levelled the series 1-1 in Gqeberha.
A mouth-watering final Test match will get underway as both sides shape up to try and win the series.
For South Africa, they bounced back in dominating fashion, winning the second Test by an innings and 31 runs, but it came at a cost for a key pace bowler.
For Australia, redemption will be on their minds after an embarrassing defeat as three changes are set to be made to their lineup.
What will the sides look like?
Australia:
As reported by SEN's Tom Morris on X, there will be three changes to the Australian Test team.
George Bailey and the Australian selectors have reportedly decided to drop Victorian Scott Boland after arguably being their best player in the last Test. Boland was the second-highest scorer in the second innings, making a gutsy 40 off 166 balls when the South African's put the Aussies back in to bat, while also taking five wickets and being the pick of the bowlers.
Instead, the selectors have opted for a spin dominant bowling lineup as Nathan Lyon is set to be recalled. It is a head-scratching selection, especially because fast bowlers have loved playing in Cape Town as quicks have taken 84 wickets to just spin's nine since 2020.
All-rounder Beau Webster will make way for 23-year-old Western Australian Cooper Connolly for his second-ever Test. Connolly debuted in Sri Lanka last year and has been very good in the white-ball format at the top of the order. He also offers finger spin away from the right-hand batters unlike Lyon and Matthew Renshaw.
All-Rounder Cameron Green has also reportedly been picked to play in his first Test since August after being kept out of the side due to an abdominal strain picked up in the last ODI against South Africa.
Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper's tours have come to an early end after both were released from the squad and sent home ahead of the decider.
Maddinson's selection was always a curious one, having spent barely any time playing the long format of the game, being able to register scores of only 0, 48, 0 and 8.
Meanwhile, Harper, who has been in great form in the Sheffield Shield, will go back without featuring in the series.
Steve Smith has also been in the spotlight all week regarding whether he will play or not, battling a neck issue, but all reports suggest he will play. Renshaw will also now open alongside Travis Head after batting at No.5 for the first two Tests.
Australia's third Test lineup:
1. M.Renshaw
2. T.Head
3. M.Labuschagne
4. S.Smith
5. C.Green
6. A.Carey (WK)
7. C.Connolly
8. P.Cummins (C)
9. M.Starc
10. N.Lyon
11. J.Hazlewood
Out: Boland, Maddinson, Webster
In: Lyon, Green, Connolly
South Africa:
The Aussies were bowled out in consecutive innings to lose a Test in that manner for the first time in nearly 40 years as the Proteas completed one of the great turnarounds to set up the deciding Test.
It was a full team performance to win the last Test, and they'd want contributors all over the park again to try and win the series.
Marco Jansen took six wickets and made 85 runs, Kagiso Rabada also took six wickets, while Simon Harmer made 82 runs and took two wickets to go alongside three catches.
The pick of the players, however, was captain Temba Bavuma, who hit arguably his greatest ever Test knock. Bavuma made his fifth Test ton, recording 179 runs, setting his side up for an amazing victory.
For the Proteas, speedster Anrich Nortje's injury opens the door for paceman Gerald Coetzee to play in his first Test in two years, as the only change.
The 26-year-old comes in as the replacement for Nortje, who was only able to bowl 3.3 overs in the last Test before sustaining a groin injury.
Nortje hadn't played any red-ball cricket for over three years when he bowled 40 overs in the opening Test. He then needed to back that up on a four-day turnaround in the second Test and broke down in Australia's first innings.
Coetzee was picked in front of fellow quicks Corbin Bosch and Dane Patterson as captain Bavuma confirmed it was due to his ability to consistently bowl around 140kph.
"He's probably the closest guy in terms of a like for like, in terms of the role Anrich plays in the bowling attack as an enforcer," Bavuma said to reporters on Monday.
"Gerald does have an extra pit of pace.
"We did consider the face that he hasn't played for a while, (but) he's been with the team, getting his workloads in and he's a guy who we believe has the ability to make a big play for the team."
The change of pace bowlers is the only difference in South Africa's side that won by an innings and 31 runs at St George's Park, as their most prolific spinner of all time, Keshav Maharaj, will once again be left out.
South Africa's third Test lineup:
1. Aiden Markram
2. Marques Ackerman
3. David Bedingham
4. Temba Bavuma (C)
5. Matthew Breetzke
6. Ryan Rickelton (WK)
7. Wiaan Mulder
8. Marco Jansen
9. Simon Harmer
10. Kagiso Rabada
11. Gerald Coetzee
Out: Nortje
In: Coetzee
What this Test means for both sides?
Speaking on SENQ Breakfast yesterday, Australian cricket great Ian Healy labelled this Test as "the most important Test for Australia this century."
“I go back to 2005 when Australia played England away in the Ashes (for the previous most important game)," he said.
“Let's hope there's not a draw in this match because of weather or for the game being played too negatively.
“This needs a result, and this will be one of the great Test series outcomes for whoever wins it.”
This Test does have more implications for both sides than just a series win. The No.1 Test ranking and perhaps the fate of the World Test Championship (WTC) mace are on the line.
If South Africa are able to win, they will take the No.1 Test ranking off Australia, who have been at the top since May 2024.
However, for Australia, beating the current WTC winners in their own backyard will certainly make them favourites to win it back.
This will also be the first time the two sides play each other at Newlands Cricket Ground since the infamous Sandpapergate incident.
For Smith, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon and all the other travelling members who were present in 2018, a series-clinching win will help give them some redemption from the biggest cheating scandal in Australian cricket, and possibly Australian sporting history.
The third and final Test gets underway Tuesday, October 27, at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.
The first ball will be bowled at 10:30am local time, or 7:30pm (AEDT).
