Australia made two changes to their squad for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). After retaining the Ashes in Adelaide, Pat Cummins has opted out as part of his workload management. In his absence, Steve Smith will take over the captaincy duties again. Smith had missed the Adelaide Test due to vertigo-like symptoms.
Fit-again Jhye Richardson has replaced Cummins in the squad. Richardson played his last Test in 2021. In Adelaide Test of Ashes 2021-22, he claimed a fifer in the second innings.
Nathan Lyon has been ruled out of fourth Test due to a right hamstring injury he suffered while putting in a dive on Day 5 of the third Test. He has been replaced by Todd Murphy, ahead of Matthew Kuhnemann and an in-form Corey Rocchiccioli.
Murphy has 22 scalps from seven Tests at just over 28 apiece. He had replaced an injured Lyon during the Ashes 2023 as well.
Australia’s squad for MCG Test -
Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
Spin crucial at MCG
Spin is set to play a main role at the MCG, confirmed curator Matt Page. He pointed out bowlers' performance in the previous Sheffield Shield match at the venue.
"We had a great Shield game here," Page said. "We obviously had some really challenging weather leading to that. I think the pitch sat under covers for three days. It was really cool, which is not ideal for pitch prep. But the pitch did everything that we wanted it to. I think we had two fast bowlers get five-fors, a couple of guys got hundreds, and Matt Short got four in the [third] innings.
"So for us, it's about trying to give everyone a chance in the game at certain points. The Shield pitch has done that. I guess that gives us good confidence, leading into this."
Changes in playing XI?
As a last-minute change, Usman Khawaja fit perfectly in the middle order. With him scoring a crucial fifty in the first innings, Josh Inglis may sit out the fourth Test. Murphy will replace an injured Lyon. The team management has a few options to replace Cummins. Brendan Doggett has done well whereas Michael Neser got a fifer at The Gabba. It will be interesting to see if Richardson walks in to the side straightaway.
Ashes debut for Bashir?
At last, ‘England’s no.1 spinner’ as claimed by skipper Ben Stokes, the 22-year-old Shoaib Bashir is expected to make his Ashes debut on December 26.