The Australian selectors will be making at least three changes for the Boxing Day Test and Western Australian fast bowler Jhye Richardson a chance to play his first Test in more than four years.
Test captain Pat Cummins will be sitting out the MCG Test on Friday after making a rapid return from his back injury to lead the Aussies to the series-clinching win in Adelaide.
He may also sit out the series finale at the SCG but he is rated a chance of turning out on his home ground on January 4.
His absence as leader is offset by Steve Smith’s comeback after the star batter was forced out of the third Test due to a bout of vertigo.
The Aussies also need to find a replacement for veteran spinner Nathan Lyon after he suffered a hamstring injury on day five while fielding in the deep.
Todd Murphy, Matt Kuhnemann and uncapped Corey Rocchiccioli are the leading contenders to be Australia’s frontline spinner.
Murphy has the added benefit of local knowledge at the MCG, Kuhnemann has performed well when used on the subcontinent while Rocchiccioli has been the form spinner in the Sheffield Shield ranks over the past 12 months.
The Aussies will name a 15-man squad on Tuesday with Richardson set to be named as he nears a return to international cricket.
After a string of injuries, the 29-year-old speedster has been managing his workloads this summer in a bid to be available for the closing matches of the Ashes.
He bowled 20 overs for a CA XI against the England Lions in Perth last month and followed that up with 4-35 and 1-41 when Australia A caned the same opponents in Brisbane recently, sending down 26 overs across the two innings.
Richardson spent time with the Aussie camp in Adelaide as part of the plan to ramp up his bowling with work in the nets and he has only lined up for one BBL match with the Perth Scorchers.
Jhye Richardson. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
He has taken 11 wickets in three Tests with 5-42 in his most recent appearance in the Ashes Test in Adelaide in 2021.
South Australian seamer Brendan Doggett, who did well in the opening two matches of the Ashes, and Queensland veteran Michael Neser, who coincidentally took 5-42 in his most recent outing at the Gabba, will also be in the squad in the battle to be the third quick alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
Smith will slot back in at No.4 in the middle order which means Usman Khawaja will need to be relocated or he could lose his spot despite scoring 83 and 40.
Josh Inglis has failed to deliver an innings of substance at No.7 while allrounder Cameron Green has been out of form with the bat, leading to calls to bring Beau Webster back into the line-up.
England are expected to drop Ollie Pope to give rising star Jacob Bethell some game time and they have the option of bringing him straight in at No.3 or reorganising their batting order with Will Jacks going up.
Frontline spinner Shoaib Bashir is a chance to play in Melbourne after Jacks’ off spin largely failed to trouble the Aussies in the past two Tests.
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