Cummins poised for return as Aussies name third Test squad
Australia welcome back captain Pat Cummins as they aim to secure the Ashes urn in Adelaide
Australia have officially named Pat Cummins in their Ashes squad with the nation's captain poised to make his comeback from injury in the third NRMA Insurance Test in Adelaide.
Cummins is the only addition to the group that took a 2-0 series lead at the Gabba on Sunday night with veteran batter Usman Khawaja retaining his place in the now 15-man group as he pushes for his own return from a back injury.
Australia squad for third Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
Jhye Richardson will also train with the Australian group in Adelaide as he continues to build towards an international comeback following shoulder surgery in January. The WA speedster returned via club cricket in November and last weekend took five wickets across 26 overs for Australia A in their thumping innings victory over England Lions.
Cummins, despite missing the opening two Tests as he went through the final stages of his recovery from lumbar back stress, has trained strongly alongside the squad in both Perth and Brisbane, watching from the sidelines as deputy Steve Smith led Australia to eight-wicket victories in both matches.
Australian selectors were close to picking Cummins on overs restrictions from outside the squad for the pink-ball Test at the Gabba after his recovery from a lower-back injury progressed quicker than expected.
Instead, he ramped up his bowling loads across town at Allan Border Field where he simulated match conditions by sending down multiple spells to ensure he would at the peak of his powers ahead of his expected return for the third Test.
"We feel as though he'll be as best prepared as can be," Australia coach Andrew McDonald told reporters on Tuesday.
"He was well ahead of where we thought he'd be at and it did create a real live conversation for (Cummins playing in) Brisbane.
"It was debated a lot leading into that Test match. With that in mind, us seeing him further advanced, we feel he'll be really well placed for the challenges of Adelaide albeit (it's still) a long way off.
"We feel as though the simulation in the nets has got him skill ready. His body's ready to go. Barring anything else happening in the next week, I'd be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on."
Cummins hasn't played any cricket since the third Test against West Indies in Jamaica in July when the 32-year-old first felt pain in his back.
His official return to the squad and expected availability for next Wednesday’s match at Adelaide Oval does provide selectors with a tough call on the balance of their bowling attack.
Alongside Khawaja, spinner Nathan Lyon is also in line for a return after being left out of the XI in favour of Michael Neser as Australia opted for an all-out pace attack for the pink-ball match.
Two of Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett and Neser, who took his maiden Test five-wicket haul in the second innings on Sunday, are now likely to miss in Adelaide.
"The gap between (Tests) one and two and two and three was something we thought we could manage, so it will more than likely be the best balanced and available attack for Adelaide," McDonald said.
"So we wouldn't be thinking that someone would need to rest there, it's probably more so in Test matches four and five.
"Pat will be available and, in the squad, so that obviously creates a different balance to our attack."
Khawaja's likely availability following a back injury creates a similar challenge for selectors with the batting line up.
McDonald said the veteran opener "got through last week well" batting in the nets in Brisbane and the coach expected the 38-year-old to be fit for the third Test.
McDonald didn't rule out a return to the middle order for Khawaja after the opening pairing of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald again put England's new ball bowlers under the pump at the Gabba.
Khawaja batted solely as an opener between his stunning return to the team at No.5 in the fourth Test of the previous home Ashes in 2021-22 and the start of this series when back spasms prevented him from opening in the first innings in Perth.
But in 44 Test matches before that SCG comeback in 2022, Khawaja batted at first drop in 66 of his 77 innings.
Josh Inglis replaced the injured left-hander for the second Test, scoring 23 from 25 balls at No.7 before being bowled by Ben Stokes late on day two.
"'Uz' (Khawaja) should be fit and available, and then we will work out our batting order based on the surface and work out our bowling selections based on the surface and the opponents that we think that they may present to us," McDonald said.
"The assumption is that (Khawaja) can only open as well. He does have flexibility.
"We like to think that all our batters have the flexibility to be able to perform anywhere in that order."
Australia yesterday ruled out Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the Ashes after he hurt his Achillies tendon while rehabbing a hamstring strain suffered in the lead up to the series, while England speedster Mark Wood is also on his way home following a recurrence of a left knee injury.
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Australia welcome back captain Pat Cummins as they aim to secure the Ashes urn in Adelaide
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s will do against this batting lineup. 
