It’s official – Pat Cummins is back.
His return had been flagged by coach and selector Andrew McDonald on Tuesday but has now been set in stone after being named on Wednesday in the 15-person squad for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Pat Cummins has been named in Australia’s squad for the third Test.Credit: Getty Images
Cummins’ impending return strengthens an Australian attack that has had little trouble claiming 20 wickets in each of the first two Tests.
It means selectors will be able to field their most experienced and arguably strongest attack of the series in Adelaide, which is staging a rare day Test.
“Pat will be back in the squad, he will be available, and that creates a different balance to our attack,” McDonald said. “Barring anything else happening in the next week, we’ll be expecting Pat to be tossing the coin and putting the blazer on.
“There won’t be any match opportunities for Pat. This is something we’ve done with Pat before, off longish lay-offs, where we’ve put in some time into rebuilding his body. He’s simulated pretty much what a match will look like out there with multiple spells.
“We feel as though he’ll be as best prepared as he can be. He was well ahead of where we thought he would be at, and it created a real live conversation for Brisbane. The skill readiness, the loads, how he was pulling up … it was debated a lot, leading into that Test match. So with that in mind, seeing him further advanced, we feel he’ll be really well-placed for the challenges of Adelaide.”
Cummins’ availability will put the squeeze on Gabba hero Michael Neser and newcomer Brendan Doggett.
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