Over the winter, with Test vacancies beckoning, Davidson and Benaud became training partners and decided to bowl for three hours continuously on a daily basis through the winter off season. With Ray Lindwall dropped, Davidson and Benaud became Australia's leading paceman and spinner when the team for the 1957–58 tour of South Africa was announced. It was a heavy burden on Davidson, who had only taken two Test wickets in an innings four times, and three wickets in a Test match on one occasion. The team was to be led by Ian Craig, who had played only six Tests, and at the age of just 22 years, he was the youngest ever Test captain from any country.