The team for the fifth and final Ashes 2025–26 Test, which will take place on Sunday, January 4 at the storied SCG, was revealed by Cricket Australia.
As part of his workload management strategy, Pat Cummins continues to keep himself off the pitch, therefore Steven Smith will once again be leading the Australian team. The team that was announced for the Boxing Day Test is essentially unchanged.
A lot of cricket fans and commentators have already assumed that Usman Khawaja, an experienced Australian batsman, will be playing his final game in the New Year’s Test. According to rumours, Khawaja will add solidarity to his retirement reports by speaking to the media reporters prior to the start of the Test match.
In what will be his 88th Test appearance, Khawaja, who has found a sweet spot playing in the middle-order in this series, may make his final appearance for the nation. At an average of more than 43, he has now amassed almost 6200 runs. Given that it is also the 39-year-old’s home stadium, it will be a fitting farewell if he decides to end his international career.
Beau Webster might play at last.
Cameron Green, who hasn’t scored much with the bat in the series, may be replaced by all-rounder Beau Webster in the final lineup that takes the field. As Australia already holds a 3-1 lead in the series following the MCG Test, Webster, who hasn’t been able to make it to the final XI thus far, would like to end the series on a good note.
“We are aware that there is a talented player waiting for us. “We’ll be having conversations leading into Sydney because we have a batting order that we’d like to think can function at a higher capacity,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying in the CA media release.
Australia’s fifth Ashes Test team:
Steven Smith (c), Alex Carey, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, , Beau Webster, Scott Boland,
Home