Ashes 2023: Cricket Australia on Tuesday announced the team's Playing XI for the 4th Ashes Test in Manchester. The team will see two changes from the side that faced a defeat to England in the 3rd Test at Headingley. Pat Cummins' side will field Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green in place of Scott Boland and Todd Murphy, who have been dropped.
There are no other changes to the team with the rest nine keeping their places. Also, this will be the first time in 11 years that an Australian cricket team will play a Test match without a specialist spinner in their ranks. The last time this happened was when the Aussies faced India at the WACA in January 2012.
"Josh will come in for Scott Boland, and the top order will stay the same," Cummins said ahead of the match. He had also claimed that there were talks on how to get two all-rounders in. "Part of the conversation is how do two allrounders fit in, is spin going to be important this week?" he added. But now they have found a way to get Green and Mitchell Marsh on the team at the expense of Murphy.
Australia have a big batting order
The visitors have loads of batters for the 4th Test at Old Trafford. Green is listed to bat at seven, which might push wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey to eight. This will be followed by Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Australia have players who can bat until ten, where Starc might come.
The Aussie skipper went on to talk in detail about Warner and his performance in the first three games. Warner drew single figures in the Headingley Test which England won. He was dismissed by Stuart Broad, who enjoys bowling to him. "Davey didn't have his best game last week at Headingley, but prior to that, he has looked really good. He has had three 50-run (opening) partnerships, which can be rare over in England," the skipper said.
Australia's Playing XI:
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood
