Australia on Wednesday (December 10) announced its squad for the upcoming third Ashes Test. The hosts have welcomed back their captain Pat Cummins for the crucial Test against England in Adelaide.
The right-arm fast bowler is the only new addition to the squad which helped the home side take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Experienced opener Usman Khawaja has also retained his place in the 15-member squad and is expected to get a chance in the playing eleven for the upcoming match.
Cummins missed the first two Tests as he was recovering from a back strain. Although he did not play in the first two Tests, he was with the team and trained with his teammates in both Perth and Brisbane. In his absence, Steve Smith led Australia to victory in the first two Test matches.
“We feel like he’ll be as prepared as possible,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said.
“He was way beyond where we thought he would be and it created a real live conversation around (Cummins playing in Brisbane).
“There was a lot of debate on that before that Test match. With that in mind, as we’re watching him move forward, we think he’ll be really well prepared for the challenges of Adelaide, even if (there’s) still a long way to go.”
“We feel like the simulations in net have prepared his skills. His body is ready to work. Apart from anything that happens next week, I expect Pat to toss the coin and wear the blazer,” He added.
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Pat Cummins eyes impressive comeback:
When Pat Cummins takes the field for the third Test, he will be expected to perform strongly. The Australia captain has not played any competitive cricket since the third Test against the West Indies in Jamaica in July. It was during that test when he first felt pain in his back.
Cummins is expected to replace Michael Neser in the playing eleven for the third Test. While Neser took 6 wickets including a half-century in the second innings in the second Test, he is likely to become the captain. Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland will be the other two fast bowlers in the lineup.
Australia eyes series win:
Australia is on the verge of winning the Ashes and will be desperate to clinch the series by winning the third Test. They have completely defeated England so far and will be a strong contender for the third Test also. They won both the Tests by the same margin of 8 wickets and would like to continue their winning streak.
Australia team for the third test: 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, Beau Webster.
