Queensland wicketkeeper batter Jimmy Peirson will join the Australia squad before the start of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s in place of their keeper Josh Inglis who will return home for the birth of his first child. Peirson will be the backup for Australia’s regular wicketkeeper Alex Carey for the high-octane tournament.
Josh Inglis is set to leave the side after the first Ashes Test in Edgbaston for the birth of his first child. In his absence, Peirson will join the squad ahead of the second Test till Inglis rejoins the side for the later part of the series.
Peirson has featured in 65 First-class matches so far, having made over 3000 runs at 34.75 including six centuries to his name and since the start of the 2020-21 campaign, he has made 1337 runs at 37.13 with five hundreds. He even made an unbeaten 128 for Australia A in Sri Lanka last year, in the fourth-innings
He has also trained with the main squad in recent weeks. The majority of Australia’s squad departs for England on Friday ahead of the World Test Championship final against India on June 7 and will start their preparation for the all-important event.
Pat Cummins will return to lead the Australia team in England as he missed the last two Tests and the ODI series against India due to his mother’s illness and subsequent passing.
As India qualified for the WTC final for the second time in a row, Australia will make its debut appearance in the finals. With most Australian Test players not participating in the IPL, they will come with better preparation than India for the finals at the Oval.
Pat-Cummins-led Australia will play India in the WTC final at the Oval in London from June 7. Team India lost the inaugural edition of the WTC Final in 2021 against New Zealand at Southampton.
Australia has been the dominant side in the recent times of Ashes as England hasn’t held the Ashes trophy since 2015 when they beat Australia on home soil. Their arch-rivals have won two of the last three series, with the 2019 leg in England resulting in a draw.
World Test Championship Final and Men’s Ashes squad: Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazelwood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (Vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.