Captain Cummins returns as Hazlewood continues his recovery from a side strain. Scott Boland officially added to Aussie squad going into the MCG Test.
Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc is set to feature in the Boxing Day Test despite sustaining an injury to his ribs in the second Ashes Test, whereas fellow pacer Josh Hazlewood’s availability remains in doubt.
Hazlewood, who suffered a side strain at Brisbane and missed the ensuing Test match will most probably miss the MCG Test as well, with Cricket Australia confirming that Hazlewood did not bowl in the team’s practice session on Friday.
Pat Cummins will almost certainly make his return to the squad, having missed the previous Test after emerging as a close contact of a Covid-infected patient. He will look to continue his excellent start to leading the side, as the Aussies romped home in the series opener at Brisbane. Nevertheless, Victorian fast bowler Scott Boland has officially been added to the squad, but it does not look as if he will get a go at the MCG.
Australian coach Justin Langer was mighty pleased with the way Mitch Starc bowled in the Adelaide Test, especially after Cummins and Hazlewood missed out.
“His resilience to just keep coming up over and over and over again is remarkable really, and his consistency of length and the way he controlled the tempo of the game last game was a great credit to him, particularly with Patty and Josh Hazlewood not playing.
He became the leader of the group. He did a fantastic job. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t get up for Boxing Day.”
Langer said as he lavished praise on Starc.
There were speculations that the addition of Boland suggested that he could be the latest to earn a Baggy Green, after Michael Neser in the previous Test. However, Langer said that while Boland deserved the chance to represent his country at the highest level, his current call-up is purely a precautionary measure.
With Cummins back and Starc supposedly fit, at least one of Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser will have to drop to the bench. Both bowlers bowled impressive spells, as Richardson even managed to pick up his maiden five-wicket haul in the second innings.
” We’ll just wait and see how they pull up. It’s a tough series. We all know that. Five Test matches pretty much in a row. So we’ll just manage our bowlers as best we can and we’ll put our fittest and most ready to perform out in the park in Melbourne.”
Langer said.
The third Test of the 2021/22 Ashes will begin at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day. England will be looking to turn things around as Australia would aim to continue their dominance over their arch-rivals.
