Davidson's career was then transformed after Australia's veteran fast bowling spearheads Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall retired and were dropped respectively after the tour. Davidson led an inexperienced pace attack on the tour of South Africa in 1957–58—his new ball partner Ian Meckiff was making his debut. In the First Test, he took 6/34, his maiden Test five-wicket haul, after narrowly evading being expelled for breaking a curfew. Davidson went on to take a total of 9/82 in the Fifth Test and end the career-transforming series with 25 wickets at 17.00 as Australia won 3–0. Although he scored few runs in the Tests, Davidson scored four of his nine career first-class centuries during the tour. During the 1958–59 home series against England, Davidson took 24 wickets at 19.00, including a total of 9/95 in the Second Test as Australia won 4–0. During the 1959–60 eight-Test tour of the Indian subcontinent, Davidson overcame conditions unfavourable to fast bowling to take 41 wickets at 17.78 as Australia won four matches and lost one. In the Second Test against India in Kanpur, Davidson took his career-best match and innings bowling figures with 5/31 and 7/93. In the second innings, he bowled for an entire day's play without interruption and lost 11 kg during the match. In a career total of six Tests in India, Davidson took 30 wickets at an average of 15.77.