Head coach Andrew McDonald is cautious about making too many changes for the upcoming series finale, as crucial ICC World Test Championship points are on the line. The Australian team aims for a third consecutive appearance in the final.
The Aussies head to the SCG for the fifth Test of the series, holding an unassailable 3-1 lead. However, they are eager to bounce back from a disappointing four-wicket defeat to England in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
McDonald Emphasizes Importance of WTC
“WTC is something that we aim and strive for. Every Test match is vitally important, and we like to think we just pick the best Test team for that surface based upon that opponent, because the WTC is something that is held in such high regard by this group. We like to be consistent,” McDonald stated to reporters in Melbourne.
Khawaja’s Position Assured
Usman Khawaja has been confirmed to feature in Sydney, with McDonald dismissing any speculation about the veteran batter announcing his retirement from international cricket. Khawaja started the Ashes series as one of Australia’s openers, a position he has held since his return in early 2022. However, he faced severe back spasms during the Perth Test, which hindered his ability to open the batting and caused him to miss the subsequent Brisbane Test.
Khawaja made a strong comeback in Adelaide, scoring 82 and 40 after being granted a last-minute reprieve when Steve Smith was ruled out of the match.
“There’s no indication at my end that he’s calling it in Sydney. His performance in this calendar year has been good enough to warrant selection so I’d say he’ll be there marking centre in Sydney,” McDonald said.
Khawaja shows no signs of retiring ahead of the fifth Test, which starts on January 4.
“I think Uz will come to us if he’s going to retire, there’s no doubt about that. And then after this Test match, we’ve got eight months until the next one, so we’ve got a lot of time as a selection group to make that decision,” McDonald added.
Selection Dilemmas Revealed
McDonald also indicated that spinner Todd Murphy would be considered strongly for the SCG contest. Additionally, all-rounder Beau Webster is a candidate to replace Cameron Green.
“It’s a nice problem to have. People are going to debate selection. They’re going to debate where Cameron’s at at this point in time and how he fits,” McDonald commented.
“We know we’ve got a quality player (in Webster) sitting there waiting. We’ve got a batting order that we’d like to think can function at a higher capacity, so we’ll be having conversations leading into Sydney,” he noted.
With regard to the SCG pitch, McDonald believes it may favor the selection of a specialist spinner, and he is keen to see what Murphy can bring to the team.
“It takes a lot for us to not pick a spinner, and we have been pushed into making that decision,” McDonald explained.
“Red-ball games, that’s the first time in a long time that we haven’t picked a spinner (in Melbourne). It’s not something that we like doing. I don’t think it’s something that will happen moving forward.”
“I’d love to pick Todd. I’d love to see what he’s got to offer. We think he’s back to his best, and what we’ve seen when he’s come closer to the camp has been excellent. We’d love to pick him,” he stated.