Despite the fact that Australian captain Pat Cummins and Proteas vice-captain Aiden Markram could play in the same T20 franchise, their meeting in the first Test at Kingsmead on Friday does not promise a lack of tension.
Ignoring shared dressing rooms, friendly social media relations, and camaraderie in franchise cricket, Ashwell Prince believes none of this will matter when South Africa and Australia take the field at Kingsmead for the first Test match.
This rivalry is resurfacing nearly eight years after the controversial Sandpapergate incident, which soured relations between the teams and added a dramatic chapter to one of the sport's hottest contests.
Although the game has changed significantly since then, especially considering that most of the prominent figures involved at the time are no longer present, Prince believes the competitive edge between the Proteas and the Australians remains as sharp as ever.
This view aligns with that of Proteas all-rounder Marco Jansen, who recently stated on Cricket.com.au: 'I can tell you it will be hot. Although, it probably won't be as heated as when Australia came here [in 2018]. But there will definitely be fire coming from both sides.'
In contrast, Mitchell Starc from Australia stated on the podcast Keepin' It Cricket that any lingering issues between the teams have been resolved. He noted: 'I don't think there is any hostility. I believe these two teams know each other quite well in the world of franchise [T20] sports. Not just me, but a number of other guys have played together and against each other for several years.'
Prince acknowledges that modern cricket has brought the opposing teams closer. Key players such as Steve Smith and Starc often share dressing rooms with Proteas stars like Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, and Tristan Stubbs in the IPL, The Hundred, and Major League Cricket leagues.
Nevertheless, he does not believe that the players' drive to win Test matches for their country has weakened, especially when the game is on the line. The Proteas batting coach said: 'Obviously, nowadays players share dressing rooms because of the nature of cricket worldwide. They are all good friends, but I don't know if that affects how much heat there will be in the match. After all, I can promise you that when it comes to a Test match, when the situation is hanging by a thread, that T20 dressing room atmosphere where everyone likes each other disappears very quickly. Because it is about winning the Test match for your country. And when it comes time to act, I mean, our guys will be ready for it. And I am sure they will.'
Thus, the Friday meeting may start with smiles and handshakes, but if Prince is right, those courtesies will not last long.