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Australia speaker Pat Cummins confirmed his team for the second Ashes Test scheduled to start on December 16 in Adelaide. Cummins informed that there will be one change for the second encounter.
Speaking to the press on the eve of the match, Cummins revealed that pacer Jhye Richardson would replace the injured Josh Hazlewood. 25-year-old Richardson made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2019 and scalped five wickets in his maiden game.
Australia batsman David Warner had suffered an injury after he copped two deliveries to the ribs in the first innings of the first Test. The 35-year old opener’s injury turned out to be really serious after he could not come to bat in the second innings. But the Australia side led by Cummins are confident that the left-handed batter will be fit for the second Test Ashes.
Khawaja’s return continues
Warner's inclusion means Usman Khawaja's wait for a Test return continues. The left-handed batsman had last played in the 2019 Ashes series. Though, Khawaja has a tremendous record in pink-ball Tests having scored a century and two fifties from his seven innings in the day-night format.
"He'll be right," skipper Cummins said of Warner in the pre-match press conference.
"He had a bat yesterday, batted with a bit of discomfort but knowing Davey, he's not going to miss this one. Once adrenaline and everything kicks in, (he'll be) a little bit sore but he'll be fine.
"It's one thing batting in the nets but another thing when you walk out and it's a packed crowd. I don't think he had any kind of painkillers or anything yesterday.
"He's played close to 90 Tests, I'm sure a lot of them have been played in discomfort or with (niggles) going into the game. He'll be fine tomorrow."
Convincing victory in the first Test
Australia had totally wrecked England in the first Test after the hosts managed to secure a comfortable nine-wicket victory.
English batsmen seemed absolutely clueless while facing the Aussie pacers. Apart from skipper Joe Root and Dawid Malan, not a single batter managed to score a half-century.
Left-handed batsman Travis Head bagged the Player of the Match award for his 152 runs in the 1st innings of the first Ashes Test.
Australia XI:-
Marcus Harris, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson
