Cummins and Lyon return; still no place for Khawaja
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Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon return to Australia's XI for the Adelaide Test, while Usman Khawaja misses out. Neser and Doggett make way.
Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon are set to rejoin the Australian lineup for the third Ashes Test, which begins Wednesday, December 17th, at the Adelaide Oval. This means Usman Khawaja will again be on the sidelines. Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett will make way for the returning stars.
Australia will maintain their opening partnership of Jake Weatherald and Travis Head. The hosts will be aiming to secure the Ashes urn after taking a 2-0 series lead.
Cummins is returning to competitive cricket after a five-month absence due to a lower back stress injury sustained in July during their 3-0 series victory against the West Indies.
Neser, despite taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the Gabba Test last week, finds himself out of the team. Doggett, with Scott Boland, was Australia's joint second-highest wicket-taker in the first two Tests, claiming seven wickets. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. their efforts weren't enough to keep their places, as Cummins and Lyon, who have a combined 871 Test wickets, return to the squad.
While Head and Weatherald will continue to open, Cummins remained hesitant to commit to this combination long-term. According to Cummins, the team will assess what each game requires, but the current lineup provides considerable flexibility. He noted that Head's successful opening partnership with Weatherald after the first Test was a significant factor in maintaining the batting order, removing the need to alter the middle order.
The consequence of the Head-Weatherald partnership is that Khawaja is unable to find a spot in the team. Khawaja, who will turn 39 in two days, faces an uncertain future. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Cummins suggested that a return for the veteran is still possible. He emphasized Khawaja's ability to score runs both at the top and in the middle order. Cummins stated that Khawaja would not be in the squad if the team didn't believe he could immediately contribute, indicating that he could return if needed.
