Australia have named a 15-man squad for the remaining three Tests of the Ashes. The squad remains unchanged from the one named prior to the series and hence features Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, who missed the second Test.
The captain, who was absent from the day-night Test in Adelaide, is eligible after testing negative and will have completed his isolation before the Boxing Day Test comes around. Josh Hazlewood, who was dropped due to a back strain, also features in the squad.
The team have bestowed faith on Marcus Harris, who has struggled to get going in the Ashes. The left-handed batter has 38 runs across 4 innings so far. While he has retained his place in the squad, his place in the playing XI might be under threat with Usman Khawaja on the bench.
Mitchell Starc might be a doubt for the Boxing Day contest due to a back problem. He was seen taking pain killers while batting in Australia’s second innings. The left-arm pacer returned to bowl in the final session and looked in good rhythm as well.
If the 31-year-old is rested and the team have the services of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, either one of Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser could feature. Both seamers performed well in the absence of the senior pacers in Adelaide.
The hosts are inching their way towards a near unassailable 2-0 lead in the Ashes. They are only four wickets away with England reeling at 142-6 at the Dinner Break on Day 5.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the iconic Boxing Day Test. Sydney will host the fourth Test and the final contest of the tour will be staged in Hobart for the first time. The fifth Test will also be contested with the pink ball under the lights.
Australia squad for the remainder of the Ashes
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Pat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
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