Australia has announced its 15-member squad for the third Test of the Ashes series. The major news is that captain Pat Cummins has recovered from his injury and will be returning to the team and playing in the Test match in Adelaide.
Sports News: Good news for the Australian team, which has already secured a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series. The team has officially included captain Pat Cummins in the Ashes squad, and it is expected that he will return to the field in the third Test match in Adelaide. Cummins, who was sidelined from the first two Test matches due to injury, is now close to being fully fit.
Cummins is the only new name in the squad, while senior batsman Usman Khawaja has also been retained in the 15-member team. Khawaja is recovering from a hamstring injury and is also expected to return in the third Test.
Pat Cummins’ Return
Pat Cummins was ruled out of the first two Test matches due to a lower back stress injury. During his recovery, he has consistently trained with the team in Perth and Brisbane. Furthermore, Cummins has conducted match simulation practice at the Allan Border Field, bowling several spells to regain full fitness and rhythm by the Test in Adelaide.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said, “We believe Pat is as prepared as he possibly can be. His preparation has exceeded our expectations. If nothing unexpected happens in the next week, you’ll see him in the starting XI.” Cummins last played a Test match in July against the West Indies in Jamaica, where he experienced back pain. His return presents a new challenge for the Australian selectors regarding bowling combinations.
Usman Khawaja’s Return
Alongside Cummins, Usman Khawaja is also included in the team. Khawaja has recovered from a hamstring injury and has been batting well in nets in Brisbane. Coach McDonald stated that Khawaja’s return to the team is fully possible by the third Test.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazelwood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes series due to injury. Similarly, English fast bowler Mark Wood is also unable to play in the third Test due to a knee injury. This has made the Adelaide Test even more challenging for both teams.
Both Teams’ Squads
Australia’s Team: Pat Cummins (Captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald and Beau Webster.
England’s Team: Ben Stokes (Captain), Harry Brook (Vice-Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethnell, Brendan Carse, Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fischer, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (Wicketkeeper) and Josh Tongue.
