Ashes 2021 LIVE: Cricket Australia will continue with the same squad for the remainder of Ashes. Pat Cummins will continue to lead the squad. Australia captain will rejoin after seven days of isolation after testing negative on Day 6 while injured Josh Hazlewood is expected to be fit for Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test. Marcus Harris has retained his spot in a 15-man squad as predicted by Australian great Ricky Ponting. Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja remains the only backup batter. Follow Ashes 2021 live updates on InsideSport.IN
Ashes 2021 LIVE: Marcus Harris survives axe as Australia announce unchanged squad for the remainder of Ashes; Cummins, Hazlewood rejoin- check full squad
Australia captain Pat Cummins to finish Covid-19 isolation at home
According to Cricket Australia (CA), fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood rejoin the squad when it assembles in Melbourne on Thursday.
“Australia has named an unchanged 15-man squad for the three remaining Vodafone Ashes Test matches in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Australia has a travel day tomorrow and rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
Marcus Harris managed scores of 23 and 3 in the second Test and 3 & 9* in the first Test respectively.
“Yeah, I think that’s pretty fair. Quite a few Test innings now and his average just keeps going down. There will be questions, and the questions are probably fair enough. But to pick a guy for only two Tests and (after) he’s only been out three times (would be unwarranted),” Ponting told Cricket.com.au
“His record is a worry, his record against England is a worry and his record against Stuart Broad is a worry. All those things taken into account, that’s why those questions will be there. But I’ve just got a gut feeling that they will stick with him,” he added.
Squads
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
First Test: Australia won by nine wickets
Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval
Third Test: December 26-30, MCG
Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG
Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena
Ashes 2021 LIVE: Marcus Harris survives axe as Australia announce unchanged squad for the remainder of Ashes; Cummins, Hazlewood rejoin- check full squad
For more sports news and Ashes 2021 live score updates, follow us at InsideSport.IN