Australia Makes Bold Bowling Calls Ahead of Last Two Ashes Clash
Australia has to undergo some changes for the last two games in The Ashes. And it is all possible due to the injury issues which are currently being faced by the team. As Josh Hazlewood was already ruled out of the series, he is now joined by two other bowlers.
Australia has to undergo some changes for the last two games in The Ashes. And it is all possible due to the injury issues which are currently being faced by the team. As Josh Hazlewood was already ruled out of the series, he is now joined by two other bowlers.
A rivalry which is as close as England and Australia, requires some bold calls to be made. And this has happened with Australia, as they announce some changes for the last two Tests. The team has already won the current Ashes with two more test matches still remaining.
Just when they thought of having a clean sweep, injury blows have hit the team once again. They have announced a new squad for the last two games of the series. And in comparison to the team used by them in the third Test, there are a few changes which might even worry the Australian fans.
1. Australia's Line-up for 4th Test
Australia has announced its line-up for the fourth Test of the series. The good news for the fans is that Steve Smith is now back in the team. He missed out on the third Test just hours before the game due to an injury. And with his availability, he will also be leading the team for the remainder of the series.
Australia’s Line-up for 4th Test:
- Steve Smith (Captain)
- 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
Since Steve Smith has been announced as the captain of the team, it also means Pat Cummins is now unavailable. He is also joined by another bowler, Nathan Lyon, who has been ruled out of the series. Both of them have been replaced by Todd Murphy and Jhye Richardson for the remainder of the series.
2. Key Bowlers Ruled Out
The injury woes have troubled Australia to a great extent in the current Test series. Josh Hazlewood, one of their primary fast bowlers, became the first to be ruled out of the series. He suffered with an injury in his hamstring during a Sheffield Shield match right before the Ashes. And eventually, he is now missing out on the entire series.
Pat Cummins was not a part of the first two games due to his recovery from his back injury. He was back for the third game, taking 6 wickets and leading Australia to the series win. But now for the last two games, he has been ruled out once again due to workload management.
Nathan Lyon also suffered from a hamstring injury during the final day of the third Test. It has been confirmed that Lyon will be going through a surgery for the same, due to which he has been ruled out of the remainder of the series. He was able to take 5 wickets in the third Test, which included three crucial wickets in the fourth innings of the game.
3. Who Comes in?
Australia is always known for announcing the best replacements. Recently, the team's selectors have also been watching for talents in the Sheffield Shield, which is going on with The Ashes. And this has helped the team to quickly announce the replacements for the injured players. They were in search of an opener before the series, and got Jake Weatherald in the form of the same.
The same even goes for Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon who have been ruled out of the series. In their place, the team has announced Todd Murphy and Jhye Richardson as replacements. Todd Murphy is now likely to get more chances, as he has played just 7 Test matches since his debut in 2023.
Todd Murphy in Tests:
- Innings: 12
- Overs: 192.5
- Maidens: 34
- Wickets: 22
- Average: 28.13
- Economy: 3.21
- Five-wicket Hauls: 1
Moreover, this will also be his first Test match which he will play at Australian soil. This will be a great challenge for the youngster, knowing the fact that all of his games have come in away matches. And now, coming as a replacement for Nathan Lyon, the left arm spinner will be eager to make a mark in the remainder of the series.
Jhye Richardson in Tests:
- Innings: 6
- Overs: 89.1
- Maidens: 28
- Wickets: 11
- Average: 22.09
- Economy: 2.72
- Five-wicket Hauls: 1
Jhye Richardson will also be making his return to the squad. It should be noted that Richardson last played a Test match for Australia back in 2021 against England. Even in his last game, he was able to take a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings of the game, which played a crucial role for England to grab the win.
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