Scott Boland will be the third fast bowler joining Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins when Australia takes on South Africa in the first of the three-Test series, pipping Michael Neser in the playing XI, coach Andrew McDonald confirmed.

While Cummins has recovered well from a quadricep injury, Josh Hazlewood will miss the Gabba Test starting on Saturday to continue recovering from his side strain.

“Expect Scott to take that spot at the Gabba. His record is amazing at the moment, so he'll take his place and the assumption is that Pat does play,” Andrew McDonald told reporters.

Boland, the country's second Indigenous Australian cricketer to play tests, has had a dream start in the longest format, taking 21 wickets in four matches at an average of 10.33.

"What's he averaging in the second innings - four, or something ridiculous like that? So there is an expectation now because it's not just an outlier, it's happening every time,” the Australia coach added.

AUS v SA 2022-23: Andrew McDonald says Warner is in Australia’s plans for next year’s India tour despite poor form

The last time South Africa and Australia met in Tests was in the controversial 2018-19 series in the rainbow nation. Both sides were sanctioned for code of conduct violations in that ill-tempered series and Australia's opener David Warner had a heated confrontation off the field with Quinton de Kock during the Durban Test.

Then the Cape Town Test ball-tampering scandal happened, changing the fates of many cricketers, especially David Warner who was banned from leadership duties for life for being the mastermind of the whole thing.

McDonald said there was no ill will in the Australian dressing room, though.

"We're not sure what's happening inside the walls of the South African dressing room, but within the walls of ours, you wouldn't notice any distractions. People are critiquing that we need to address things on the inside. We've moved on from that,” McDonald said.

The three-Test series will begin on December 17 in Brisbane, the second Test will begin on December 26 in Melbourne and the last Test will be played from January 4^th in Sydney. All the Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023.

(Reuters inputs)