Ackerman’s emergence is also reflective of the depth SA has available, with Prince saying there is a growing appetite among domestic players to break into a Test side that has enjoyed significant recent success.
“There’s an appetite, not just for him, for a lot of players within our domestic structure,” he said.
"With the ICC World Test Championship success and continuing from then, there’s an appetite for players like Marques and others to want to be involved in the environment.”
The selection debate does not end at No 3, with the Proteas also weighing up how best to balance their bowling attack against Australia.
Prince said SA were not wedded to one particular combination and could adjust their plans depending on the Kingsmead surface.
“Whether it is seam-heavy, and if the surface is good, we might be able to go with that,” he said.
"If you feel the surface is good, we might be able to go with another plan.”
“I think that’s a blessing that we have options.”
The presence of bowling allrounders such as Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy and Mulder gives SA further flexibility, potentially allowing them to field four frontline bowlers while still retaining a fifth bowling option.
Keshav Maharaj’s recent success against Australia in the ODI series also adds another dimension to the selection equation, though Prince indicated the final call would be heavily influenced by the conditions.
He warned against underestimating the mentality that has long been associated with Australian cricket simply because of the emergence of a few new faces.
“Australian cricket is more than just 11 players going on the field,” he said.
“There’s a mentality to it, there’s an approach to how they play the game. Want to be on the front foot.
“We are obviously aware of what they bring, what they have, and equally we are prepared for that.”
