Pat Cummins has confirmed there will be two changes to the Australian XI for the third Ashes Test, but Usman Khawaja will not earn a recall.
Cummins confirmed on Tuesday he will return from a back injury in Adelaide after missing the first two Tests.
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Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser make way for Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who will return to the XI after being dropped for a home Test for the first time since 2012.
The selection news means Josh Inglis remains in the side but there is no room for all-rounder Beau Webster or Khawaja, who was pressing for a recall either as opener or in the middle order.
Khawaja, 39, experienced back spasms in the first Test in Perth and was dropped for the day-night Test in Brisbane.
He has yet to announce his intentions to retire but it’s likely the left-hander has played his last Test match for Australia.
“He’s a real team man … there’s a disappointed group of players,” Cummins said when asked about Khawaja, whose career is on the brink.
Cummins said the Australians were happy with their batting line-up in light of Travis Head’s emergence as a surprise option to open the batting.
“We didn’t feel like we needed to change the middle order,” he said.
Khawaja has played 85 Test matches and scored 16 centuries, averaging 43.6 across his career.
“He prepares well, his Sheffield Shield numbers are incredibly good compared to everyone else — every time he drops back to that level he dominates,’’ Australian coach Andrew McDonald told SEN.
“He is incredibly valued in this group. We have three Tests to go in this series.
“We always say we are going to need a squad. I cannot speak highly enough of what Usman has done over the years.
“It seems like people want to hear an end date from him or from us. We are not that team. We are not putting end dates on things.
“I suppose everyone pushes it back to the David Warner space and Davey was clever. He put his own date on it and it was incredibly motivating for him.
“He has been on the record as saying he is going Test by Test. He loves Test cricket and wants to continue to play it. There is nothing wrong with that.’’
There was some drama when Steve Smith was struck on the stomach in the nets on Tuesday morning and spent several minutes in pain on the ground.
But he recovered to complete his net session and is expected to take the field on Wednesday.
Cummins said he was at full fitness and would not be on limited overs after being sidelined for months with a stress fracture in his back.
He also flagged the possibility of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland being rested for one of the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney to manage their workload.
“Both Starcy and Scotty pulled up really well,” Cummins said.
“Having a 10-day break as well, felt like we didn’t need to make any calls on resting players.
“The next three Test matches are pretty tight. Dare say over the next three Tests we’ll be using the full squad.”
England have made just one change, with paceman Josh Tongue replacing Gus Atkinson in the XI.
Australia leads the series 2-0 and retain the Ashes once again with victory in Adelaide.
Australian XI for third Test: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon
England XI for third Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue
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