Australia skipper Pat Cummins has named an unchanged playing XI for the third and final Test of the series against Pakistan. The hosts sealed the series and extended their nearly two-decade-long home winning streak against the Men in Green with a brilliant Boxing Day Test victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
David Warner and Usman Khawaja will open the batting together for the final time for Australia, while middle-order batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will look to be among the runs after a string of poor performances. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will once again bat in the middle order at the expense of Cameron Green, who worked extensively in nets.
Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey will continue to wear the gloves. Despite the strain, Australia has decided not to rotate the squad, and the pace-bowling department will be handled by the experienced trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, with Nathan Lyon being the sole spinner in the playing 11.
Speaking to the media ahead of the third game, Pat Cummins feels that the players have enough rest between the test matches. The Australian captain hopes that David Warner can finish his test career on a high note by scoring a hundred or bowling some leg spin at the end.
“Even the way this summer is spread out a bit more, there’s two Tests on, then a bit of a gap; then two Tests, then a bit of a gap; then New Zealand. We’ll give it a chance. It’s all gone pretty smoothly so far,”
“A hundred. Maybe some leg spin? Take the last wicket of the game or something, out of the rough. I only just thought of it then,” Pat Cummins said.
David Warner’s final Test appearance will be in the upcoming dead rubber in Sydney. The seasoned opening batter declared his retirement from the longest format in June and has also hung off his boots from the ODI cricket. Australia will begin 2024 with an all-format home series against the West Indies beginning on January 17, followed by a trip to New Zealand beginning on February 21.
Australia playing XI for the third Test against Pakistan
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.