The Proteas and Sri Lanka face off at Kingsmead today. Here, Ongama Gcwabe takes a look at five match-ups that could potentially decide the series opener.
Kagiso Rabada v Dimuth Karunaratne
Despite Rabada's great strike rate in Test cricket, Sri Lanka opening batter Karunaratne has on numerous occasions stood his ground against a KG-led bowling attack.
However, with the World Test Championship final spots on the line, and Rabada's impressive recent form, these two might put on a classic at Kingsmead. Karunaratne is a gritty left-handed batter, one who always seems to enjoy a hard graft, and facing Rabada in this series will be a challenge for him.
Marco Jansen v Pathum Nissanka
Jansen has returned from his rehabilitation and conditioning break and will most likely assume his place as Rabada's new ball partner.
The left-arm quick has the ability to swing the ball both ways, and his tall build will pose Sri Lanka's newly found opening batter Nissanka a serious challenge. Nissanka will most certainly not be a pushover having racked up two centuries and six fifties in his 13-match career.
Gerald Coetzee v Kamindu Mendis
This will be the battle of the newbies in Test cricket. Both are exciting, with Coetzee's pace, aggression, and competitiveness being his main strengths, while Mendis' consistency with the bat is his standout quality.
The Sri Lankan middle-order batter has five centuries in eight Tests and a serious average of 91 heading into today's Test. However, he will be met with a fiery Proteas pace attack, with Coetzee likely to have a proper crack at him coming on as a first-change bowling option.
Aiden Markram v Vishwa Fernando
Left-arm seamer Fernando has had a series of impressive spells in Tests in South Africa. He has good control of the new ball and has the ability to swing the ball, two feats that tend to get the better of opening batter Markram in Tests.
Having managed one century in the New Year's Test against India, and one fifty in nine innings this year, Markram is not in his best form at the top of the order. Fernando will be a lot to handle for a batter lacking form.
Kyle Verreynne v Lasith Embuldeniya
Verreynne, like most wicket-keepers, has leaned on the sweep shot as his go-to option for spin in Tests.
In his first tour of the subcontinent, in Bangladesh, the wicket-keeper batter swept his way to a match-winning Test ton and earned the player of the match award. There is no doubt that the right-handed batter will look to pull those sweeps out once again in Durban, as Embuldeniya returns to the ground where he picked up one of his five Test five-fors.