Skipper Pat Cummins, experienced quick Josh Hazlewood and all-rounder Cameron Green are among the inclusions as Australia announced a full-strength squad for the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord’s.
Cummins and Hazlewood missed Australia’s most recent Test series in Sri Lanka due to injury, while Green is in line to make his first Test appearance in more than 12 months after recovering from back surgery.
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The trio all return to the Aussies squad for next month’s one-off final at Lord’s, where Australia will be aiming to defend the World Test Championship mace they won at The Oval against India in 2023.
Australia’s squad is full of experience and at full strength for the Proteas’ clash that commences on June 11, with Cummins joined by fellow quicks Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Hazlewood in a 15-player squad that also has two spinning options in Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann.
Inglis can provide support for first-choice keeper Alex Carey, while Brendan Doggett will travel with the squad as a reserve. The squad of 15 will also travel to the Caribbean for the three-match series against the West Indies that will commence from June 26.
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Selection Chair George Bailey believes Australia have a well-balanced squad at their disposal and is confident his side can claim back-to-back World Test Championship titles.
“We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat (Cummins), Josh (Hazlewood) and Cam (Green) back in the squad,” Bailey said.
“The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade.
“Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the World Test Championship.
“It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they are very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord’s.”
Australia can make changes to their squad prior to the final with approval from the ICC Event Technical Committee.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett
