Healy: This is the most important Test for Australia this century

Ian Healy has labelled the third Test vs South Africa in Cape Town as the ‘most important Test for Australia this century’.

With the series evenly poised at 1-1, the winner of the third and final Test will prevail as victors, while the return to Cape Town for the Aussies is also monumental as it’s their first time at Newlands in the Test format since Sandpapergate in 2018.

Healy has to go back to 2005 to remember a Test match that has been so critical for the Aussies both at home or away.

“This is the most important Test for Australia in this century. That’s 27 years,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.

“I go back to 2005 when Australia played England away in the Ashes (for the previous most important game).

“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.”

The biggest talking point around the game has no doubt been the makeup of the playing XI, particularly the Aussie top six after the side mustered only 99 in the first innings in Gqeberha.

Like many, Healy has Nic Maddinson out of his side for the third Test.

But unlike many others, he’s sticking with Marnus Labuschagne at No.3.

“We haven’t been making our decisions on the team known until the toss,” Healy said.

“It’ll be very interesting to see what South Africa do this Test because they’ve revealed early in the last two.

“We will be as late as we're allowed to be with this team… but Maddinson is out, he’s gone.

“People are saying, ‘We can’t give Marnus another Test’, well we can, because he’s in okay form. He’s made 37 or more in three of his four knocks.

“He's not the worst we’ve got, and he needs to do his job. I don't want to burden and unsettle this bunch when there's such an important job to do.

“If he gets 30 and gets out again, that's not going to be good enough. But if he gets 30 and goes on with it, (you can keep your spot).”

Ian Healy’s XI for the third Test vs South Africa

1 - Travis Head 2 - Matt Renshaw 3 - Marnus Labuschagne 4 - Steve Smith 5 - Cameron Green 6 - Alex Carey (wk) 7 - Beau Webster 8 - Pat Cummins 9 - Mitchell Starc 10 - Scott Boland 11 - Nathan Lyon