Australia have confirmed that Pat Cummins will return to captain the side in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide – and in the process, creating a significant selection decision.
Cummins missed the first two Tests of the series as the hosts took a cautious approach with his return from a back issue that first flared up on the tour of the West Indies in July.
The 32-year-old fast bowler had been considered as an option to make his return in the second Test at the Gabba even after being left out of the squad for that game, but instead watched on as Australia went 2-0 up in the series.
But skipper Cummins has now officially been brought back into coach Andrew McDonald’s 15-man group that will assemble ahead of the Test at the Adelaide Oval as they look to seal the series.
“We feel as though he'll be as best prepared as can be,” McDonald said. “He was well ahead of where we thought he'd be at and it did create a real live conversation for 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.”
The return of a bowler with 309 Test wickets at an average of 22.10 will bolster the Australian seam attack in Adelaide, but Cummins and McDonald do have a big decision over how best to structure their line-up to accommodate the captains return.
While Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the series with an achilles issue, Nathan Lyon will likely return to the side to provide a lead spin option at a ground where the off-spinner has more Test wickets than any other cricketer.
Australia fielded a four-pronged seam attack at the Gabba, with Michael Neser joining Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett at his home ground. Neser produced a fine second-innings five-for as part of a relentless spell, and has played plenty of Big Bash cricket for the Adelaide Strikers.
Doggett would appear most vulnerable of the quartet, though he has done a credible job with the short ball in an enforcer-style role, having made his Test debut in the series opener in Perth.
Workload management will become a key consideration for both teams with the next three Tests scheduled closer together, but McDonald indicated that it was too soon to be considering rest and rotation.
“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.”
Australia also have a decision to make about their batting order with Usman Khawaja expected to be fit following a back injury. The 38-year-old suffered the issue at Perth, with Travis Head shifted up to open alongside Jake Weatherald and Josh Inglis brought into the middle order for the second Test.
Head and Weatherald’s attacking partnership has put England on the back foot in the last three innings and the pair could yet remain together – even if Khawaja comes back in, with McDonald suggesting that the veteran left-hander could be utilised as a middle-order option.
There may be a strong temptation, though, to restore Head to No 5 after he made a blistering, match-turning 140 at a run-a-ball against India from the position at his home ground last year.
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