Australia Announce Playing XII For Fourth Ashes Test; Steve Smith Returns To Play

Steve Smith is set to play the 4th Ashes Test after being ruled out of the third due to inner ear issue.

Australia will field an all-seam attack for the Boxing Day Test in The Ashes, though stand-in captain Steve Smith confirmed the final XI remains undecided ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.

Selectors will assess the MCG pitch one final time on the morning of the match before settling on their pace combination. Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, and the returning Jhye Richardson are contending for the two remaining bowling spots.

Steve Smith’s return from an inner-ear issue to captain the side in Pat Cummins’ absence means Josh Inglis misses out. Veteran batter Usman Khawaja retains his place after scoring 82 and 40 following his late call-up in Adelaide.

Australia’s squad of XII for the fourth Test: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson.

This marks the second time this series Australia have chosen a four-pronged specialist pace attack. Doggett and Neser both featured in the day-night second Test in Brisbane, with Neser taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings. If selected, this will be Neser’s first red-ball Test, his previous three appearances all being pink-ball matches.

Consequently, Victorian spinner Todd Murphy’s hope for a home Boxing Day Test debut is on hold, while Richardson moves closer to his first Test in four years.

“It’s exciting to see Richardson back into the fold, he’s had a pretty long layoff with injury, and we know the skills he can possess,” Smith said. “He’s done it against England before in an Ashes. We’ve seen when he’s had the opportunity at this level, he’s been outstanding.”

Steve Smith Confident With Playing Squad

Smith announced the 12-man squad after Australia’s final training session on Christmas morning.

“We’ve landed on a 12, we just want to take a look at the wicket tomorrow,” he explained. “We’re going to be playing four quicks and no spinner. (The pitch) has 10mm of grass, quite furry, quite green. I dare say it’s going to offer quite a bit, particularly (day one) is similar conditions to today, quite cold and overcast so I dare say there’s going to be quite a bit of movement.”

He added, “You just got to play what surface you’re presented with; this one looks like it’s going to offer a fair bit of assistance for the seam bowlers and the weather throughout the week looks conducive for that too. I think if Nathan (Lyon) was (available), we’d probably still be having the same conversation as well, so it’s certainly nothing to do with Todd’s skill.”

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Australia, holding an unassailable 3-0 lead, were forced into two changes for the MCG Test, with Pat Cummins (managed) and Nathan Lyon (hamstring) ruled out for the remainder of the series.