The Sydney Test: Australian captain Pat Cummins has revealed the playing XI of his side for the Sydney Test against Pakistan, beginning on Wednesday, with the skipper confirming no changes have been made for Pink ball Test.
The Sydney Test is a farewell for Australian opener David Warner, who departs as Australia’s fifth-highest run-scorer in the format. Of his 8695 runs at 44.58 in Test cricket, the 37-year-old has compiled 793 runs at 49.56 at his home venue, making four centuries.
Cummins confirmed Australia’s pace-bowling trio emerged unscathed after securing the three-match series in Melbourne. With victories in both Perth and Melbourne, the Australian team sees no necessity to make any adjustments to the team composition for Warner’s final Test match.
If the hosts win the traditional New Year’s fixture, it will mark the first time since they beat England 5-0 during the 2013-14 Ashes that they have whitewashed a Test series (of three or more matches) with the same XI.
There is a 10-day break between the Sydney Test and the first of two Tests against West Indies in Adelaide, and then a further month in between the second Windies Test at the Gabba and the two-Test tour of New Zealand beginning in late February.
Cummins believes Australia’s Test schedule means there is adequate time for the fast bowlers to play every match. “Normally each summer there’s something that pops up. But all three of us (Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood) are really fresh.
“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.”
Australia XI to take on Pakistan at the SCG: Pat Cummins (c) David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
