Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has questioned Cricket South Africa's (CSA) decision to host the opening Test against Australia at Durban's Kingsmead, given the hosts' poor record at the venue.
Australia registered a comprehensive 214-run victory in the match, extending their winning streak at Kingsmead to four consecutive Tests and taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Du Plessis told Cricinfo that starting the series in Durban gave Australia straightaway a clear advantage, considering their strong record at the ground compared to South Africa's struggles.
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The 42-year-old further stressed the notably low crowd attendance throughout the Durban Test.
South Africa versus Australia series are generally considered a very high-profile fixture in the international calendar, due to their legendary cricketers and because of the history of incidents.
But despite all the facts and reasons, the crowd turnout was very low, and that is disappointing and described as abysmal on all match days.
Just under 20,000 fans attended the match, which marked South Africa's first home Test since January 2025 and their first on home soil since being crowned World Test champions.
For such a significant series, Durban Stadium's low attendance and low viewership ratings were deemed unacceptable. Durban Stadium is the least popular cricket stadium in South Africa.
South Africa still has a chance to bounce back in the remaining Tests, but the defeat in Durban has put them on the back foot.
The choice of venue, poor spectator turnout and timing of the match have all added to the concerns surrounding the series opener.
According to a report by Cricinfo, the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union (KZNCU) has decided to conduct a thorough internal review to investigate the poor spectator turnout during the Test match between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead.
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The KwaZulu-Natal Inland Cricket Union is an associate member union of Cricket South Africa and is responsible for all matters about cricket in the province's interior.
Du Plessis' comments also raise questions about Cricket South Africa's planning for home series and whether more could be done to give the team an advantage while attracting more fans to the ground.
The second Test of the series is scheduled to begin on Sunday, October 18, in Gqeberha, which has a maximum seating capacity of 19,000.
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