Captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon have returned to the Australia XI for the third Ashes Test against England in Adelaide but opener Usman Khawaja has been left out, leaving his Test career at a cross-roads.
Cummins returns from a back injury after missing the opening Tests in Perth and Brisbane, while Lyon is back after being dropped for the second Test at the Gabba which Australia won by eight wickets.
The duo replace pace bowlers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser in the Australian attack, joining Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
Khawaja missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, leaving Travis Head and Jake Weatherald to open the batting. While Khawaja remained with the squad and was fit to return, Cummins confirmed selectors had decided to stick with Head and Weatherald following the new combination’s promising start. “I think the big thing that’s shifted on us is probably Trav opening after that first Test and how good that’s looked with Weathers (Weatherald),” Cummins told reporters at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday. “We were pretty happy with that batting lineup and it didn’t feel like it needed to change, the middle order.” Khawaja will turn 39 on Thursday but Cummins said he could still see a place in the Test squad for the 85-Test opener, who has a batting average of 43.56 but has not scored a fifty since posting 232 against Sri Lanka in Galle last January.
“I think the selectors have been quite adamant we’re picking a side each week. It doesn’t mean it has to be the same side every week,” said Cummins.
“One of Ussie’s great strengths is he’s scored runs at the top and he’s scored runs in the middle.
If we didn’t think he’d be good enough to come straight back in then he wouldn’t be here in the squad with us.
“So, absolutely I can see a path back at some point if needed.” Cummins confirmed Josh Inglish will remain at number seven in the batting, having come in to the middle order at Brisbane following Head’s promotion.
Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and need only draw the match in Adelaide to retain the urn.
Australia held a 2-0 lead in the last Ashes in England in 2023 before the hosts rallied to draw the series 2-2.
Cummins said lessons had been learned from that series.
“We probably let a couple of those (winning opportunities) slide, particularly at Headingley and The Oval,” he said.
“You just can’t let them go.”