Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon return as Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser make way as Australia try and wrap up the series in Adelaide.
Australia, who have won both the Tests against England, on Tuesday named their playing XI for the third Ashes Test to be held in Adeliade from December 17 to 21. Skipper Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon return to the playing XI with all-rounder Michael Neser and pacer Brendan Doggett making way, according to the ICC website.
Australia look to wrap up the five-match series in Adeliade. The Australian skipper wants his side to be ruthless in their approach so as to not give England any chance of staging a comeback in the series. Cummins is wary of an improved performance in the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest and wants his side to remain ruthless in their approach. “I don’t think it’s anything different to those first couple of Tests,” Cummins said. “You’ve got a couple of players who can win it at any moment, you’ve just got to have plan A, plan B like you do to most teams. But they’ve got some obviously really strong players and you just can’t give them a little opening,” he said.
It also means experienced opener Usman Khawaja remains on the sidelines as he plots a way back into the XI following a back concern, while back-up batter Josh Inglis retains his place in the side and will bat at No.7.
Cummins said Khawaja was disappointed not to regain his place in the Australian side despite the 2-0 series advantage but credited the way he handled the news. “He’s a real team man. He’ll do whatever the team needs,” Cummins said of Khawaja in Adelaide on Tuesday.
“And it’s not only Uzzie, but you’ve also got Beau Webster, who’s missed out on these three Tests. Neser is coming off a five-fa and Doggy (Doggett) played in the first two Tests and is doing really well. So, there’s a disappointed group of players,” Cummins said.
“But they’ve all been fantastic around the group. We need a squad to win an Ashes series, and they’ve all been brilliant,” he added.
I’ve been bowling at 100 percent for a while now: Cummins
For Cummins the match will mark his first Test appearance since he featured against the West Indies in the middle of the year, with the right-armer revealing he was ready to return and won’t be restricted by the number of overs he can bowl. “Yeah, I am good to go,” Cummins said. “I’ve been bowling at 100 percent for a while now. If I played in Brisbane I would have probably been on limited overs, but this week, it’s just go and play like any other Test match,” he stated.
On the other hand, England had stated their playing XI on Monday itself. They had made one change to the side with pacer Josh Tongue replacing Gus Atkinson.
Ben Stokes continues to lead the side, while Will Jacks retains his place in the XI after being included for the second Test in Brisbane.
This will be Tongue’s first appearance in red-ball cricket for England since their final Test against India at The Oval in July earlier this year, where England lost the Test by six runs in a thriller.
The 28-year-old pacer has bagged 31 wickets in six Tests he has played so far, with five of them coming against Australia in his solitary appearance against them.
Australia XI: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue.
