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Australia it is confirmed pat cummins Will return to captain the team in the third ash Test in Adelaide – and in the process, an important selection decision was taken.
cummins Missed the first two tests of the series The hosts took a cautious approach to his return after recovering from a back problem that first surfaced during the West Indies tour in July.
The 32-year-old fast bowler was also considered an option to return for the second Test at the Gabba after being dropped from the squad for that game, but instead Australia went 2-0 up in the series.
But captain Cummins has now officially been brought back into coach Andrew McDonald’s 15-man group that will assemble ahead of the Test at the Adelaide Oval as they look to seal the series.
“We think he’ll be as best prepared as possible,” McDonald said. “He was way ahead of where we thought he would be and it created a real live conversation for Brisbane.
“There was a lot of debate on this before that Test match. With that in mind, as we look at him moving forward, we think he will be really well prepared for the challenges of Adelaide.” [it’s still] Very far.
“We feel like the simulations in net have prepared his skills. His body is ready to go. Barring anything that happens next week, I would expect Pat to toss the coin and wear the blazer.”
The return of the bowler, who took 309 Test wickets at an average of 22.10, will strengthen the Australian seam attack in Adelaide, but Cummins and McDonald have a big decision to make on how to improve their line-up to accommodate the captain’s return.
Whereas Josh Hazlewood Has been ruled out of the series due to pain problem, nathan lyon He will likely return to the team to provide a lead spin option at a ground where the off-spinner has more Test wickets than any other cricketer.
Australia field four-pronged seam attack at Gabba, featuring Michael Neser Mitchell StarcScott Boland and Brendan Doggett on their home ground. Nesser created Good five wickets in the second innings As part of a relentless spell, and has played a lot of Big Bash cricket for the Adelaide Strikers.
Doggett will appear to be the weakest of the quartet, although he has done a creditable job with the short ball in an enforcer-style role, making his Test debut in the series opener in Perth.
With the next three Test matches scheduled together, workload management will become a key consideration for both teams, but McDonald indicated it was too early to consider rest and rotation.
“The difference between [Tests] One and two and two and three was something we thought we could manage, so that would probably be the best balanced and available attack for Adelaide,” McDonald said.
“So we won’t be thinking that anyone will need to be rested there, probably more so in the fourth and fifth Tests. Pat will be available and will be in the squad, which will obviously bring a different balance to our attack.”
Australia also has to decide about its batting order Usman Khawaja Expected to be fit after back injury. The 38-year-old faced this problem in Perth, For the second Test, Travis Head was sent to open with Jake Weatherald and Josh Inglis was brought into the middle order.
Head and Wetherald’s aggressive partnership has put England on the backfoot in the last three innings and the pair could still stick together – even if Khawaja returns, with McDonald suggesting that the experienced left-hander could be used as a middle-order option.
However, there may be a strong temptation to move Head back to No. 5 after a match-turning explosive performance. 140 runs on one ball against India From the situation on their home ground last year.