Australian captain Pat Cummins has disclosed the playing XI for the upcoming Sydney Test against Pakistan, affirming that there will be no alterations for the Pink ball Test.
The Sydney Test holds special significance as it marks the farewell match for Australian opener David Warner, a monumental figure who departs as Australia's fifth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket. With an impressive record of 8695 runs at an average of 44.58, Warner has particularly excelled at his home venue, accumulating 793 runs at an average of 49.56 and securing four centuries.
Cummins has confirmed that Australia's trio of pace bowlers emerged unscathed after clinching the series in Melbourne. With triumphs in Perth and Melbourne, the team sees no need for changes in the squad composition, especially for Warner's final Test.
Should the hosts secure victory in the New Year's Test, it would mark the first instance since their 5-0 Ashes triumph in 2013-14 that they've whitewashed a Test series (comprising three or more matches) with the same XI.
There's a 10-day interval between the Sydney Test and the initial matches against West Indies in Adelaide, followed by a month-long gap before the second Windies Test at the Gabba and the subsequent two-Test tour of New Zealand in late February.
Cummins believes the Test schedule allows ample time for the fast bowlers to participate in every match. He stated, "Usually, there's something that crops up each summer. But all three of us – Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood – are in good shape. The way this season is spaced out, with breaks between Tests, then New Zealand, it seems feasible. Things have been running smoothly so far."
Australia's XI for the Sydney Test against Pakistan: Pat Cummins (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
(With Agency Inputs)
