Injured Starc ruled out as Sayers handed debut

Troubled Australia suffered another blow on Friday as Mitchell Starc was ruled out of the final match of the series against South Africa at the Wanderers, with Chadd Sayers handed his Test debut.

Paceman Starc has suffered a stress fracture in his right leg, ruling him out of playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

The 30-year-old Sayers gets his chance in the absence of Starc as the tourists attempt to put a traumatic week behind them by drawing the series 2-2 in Johannesburg.

Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb also come into the Australia team after captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft were banned for their part in the ball-tampering scandal at Newlands last weekend.

The hosts are unchanged and will bat first after Faf du Plessis won the toss.

Tim Paine, replacing Smith as skipper, said at the toss: "[It's been] a difficult week, we've focused internally, spoken about looking after each other. We're privileged to play a Test for Australia."

#TheChadd pic.twitter.com/CzRGHEvMv8

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 30, 2018