Australia will take the field without skipper Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for the Boxing Day Test against England after the hosts named a 15-member squad for the fourth match of the Ashes series.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) website, Steve Smith has been appointed captain in Cummins’s absence, with off-spinner Todd Murphy and fast bowler Jhye Richardson drafted into the squad.
The fourth Test begins at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26, with Australia already holding an unassailable 3-0 lead following their 82-run win in Adelaide.
Cummins has been rested for the Melbourne Test as part of workload management after recently returning from a back issue. The Australian captain remains a chance to feature in the fifth and final Test in Sydney, starting January 4.
“We had a pretty aggressive build-up knowing that there’s an Ashes series there to be won, and we thought that was worth it,” Cummins said after the victory in Adelaide. “I doubt I’ll be playing Melbourne, and then we’ll have a chat about Sydney.”
Richardson, who has joined the squad after making his return from injury, is in contention to replace Cummins in the playing XI. The 29-year-old fast bowler has played just three Tests so far due to a series of injuries, with his most recent appearance coming against England in Adelaide in 2021.
Despite his limited red-ball exposure, selectors continue to rate Richardson highly for his pace and skill set.
Murphy is expected to be the frontline spin option in the absence of Lyon, who will undergo surgery on a torn right hamstring and is set to be sidelined for an extended period. The 23-year-old has played seven Tests for Australia, with his most recent outing coming earlier this year against Sri Lanka in Galle.
All-rounders Michael Neser and Beau Webster, along with back-up seamer Brendan Doggett, have retained their places in the squad despite missing out on selection in the Adelaide Test.
Australia squad (fourth Test only) 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.
