Australia will take an unchanged line-up into Friday’s second Test against Sri Lanka as they look to win their first long-format series since the Ashes.
Despite being called into the squad in place of Matt Renshaw after Australia’s thumping win at the Gabba, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has missed out on making his Test debut in Canberra.
Australia captain Tim Paine confirmed the team on Thursday for the second Test starting on Friday at Manuka Oval.
Australia: Marcus Harris, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson.
Earlier, Justin Langer hinted Marcus Stoinis would miss out on a Test debut against Sri Lanka while Mitchell Starc was expected to keep sharing the new ball.
Grass cover evident on the Manuka Oval pitch meant Langer stuck with six batsmen and no allrounder.
“My gut feeling is it’s always nice to keep the same XI after you’ve had a win,” Langer told radio station SEN before training.
“We’ll have a look at it this afternoon and if there’s that little bit of grass on it I’d be surprised if we changed the team.”
Australia’s bowlers spent just 107 overs in the field in the big win in Brisbane, wrapping the game up in just 2-1/2 days.
Pat Cummins claimed his first 10-wicket haul for a match and Jhye Richardson also impressed on debut, while Starc claimed just two wickets and was again wayward at times.
But Langer indicated he’d resist the calls from the likes of Brett Lee and Shane Warne to give Cummins the new ball ahead of Starc.
“He (Cummins) has done a great job bowling first change for us,” Langer said.
“It’s always nice when Starcy gets the ball to swing. We saw that during the India series, if he gets the ball to swing back in to the right-handers he can be really dangerous.
“Jhye Richardson swings the ball as well and he was excellent with the new ball in Brisbane so we will wait and see.
“I’d be surprised if we changed that combination actually.”
Rob
Guest
We've just won a game by an innings and yet there are still people complaining about selections? You lot are impossible to please.
Squirellgrip
Roar Rookie
Has an air of desperation ‘dunnit’
Squirellgrip
Roar Rookie
Absolutely agree. If he is good as everyone is saying why not give him a showing. We are all keen to see the young gun play but good ole dull and boring ACB. Just dreadful. And if Usi fails again, when is the next chance?
George
Guest
Not picking the best side isn't new: Mitch Marsh got 31 Tests! Surely Tremain could get one?
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Yes I'm oozing with outrage... Of course you're right. I'm sure the Melbourne stars are tickled pink at their match winning player being taken out of the squad and sent to Canberra
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
And thus we are in a pickle. This would be an ideal (SO ideal it frustrates me) to give Pucovski a hit in a test match before England. Labuschagne shouldn't have been picked in the first place and now unfair to axe him. Burns should have been there at the start of the Indian series and we'd know where we stood with him now. But now we have 4 guys pushing their claims against a weak opposition, with two guys coming back and one guy in the stands who needed a run. And this excess of bodies is NOT a good thing in this case.
Nick
Roar Guru
You’d have to think that Khawaja is under serious pressure to retain an Ashes gig if he doesn’t cash in on the Manuka runway. He may have been the last player to score a century, but he’s been in some pretty ordinary form…particularly considering his home record is strong.
Peter Warrington
Guest
Lillee Massie Colley Hammond Watson Davidson, Misson, McKenzie, Gaunt what's wrong with a bit of romance?
JB
Guest
Why do you blokes keep screeching about 'last chance before the ashes' ? Its 7 months away what happens in this test against Sri lanka will hold basically no relevance to anything in 7 months time
JB
Guest
Why ? He hasn't missed a game. You'll have to find something else to be outraged about
Ken
Guest
Burns, Khawaja and Starc should all consider themselves lucky to still be there.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Lost opportunity to give Pucovski a game against a weak SL. I would have rested Uzzie Bizarre handling of Stoinis, Melbourne stars wouldnt be all that happy with the way it's gone
Gone for 4
Guest
If i had it my way it'd be Cummins, Pattinson, Richardson and Lyon with Hazlewood and Sayers as back up.
Tom
Guest
What the hell is this rant even about? We named the same team that won the last test by an innings and people are moaning? Wtf
Paul
Roar Guru
so our attack for the First Ashes Test, in England will be Richardson ( 2 Tests), Cummins (20 Tests) Chadd Sayers (1 Test) or Chris Tremain (zero Tests). This is on top of a batting lineup expected to struggle in English conditions. If we went that way, I reckon this would be the first Australian Test team to lose a series 5 nil.
Gone for 4
Guest
Surely Sayers or Tremain is worth a go.
Paul
Roar Guru
last chance or what? Drop him and bring in who for the Ashes?
Paul
Roar Guru
so we're not going to pick our best XI, we'll just give blokes a game to see how they go?
Gone for 4
Guest
If the Marsh brothers are anything to go by i highly doubt it. But very much agree with you.
seantice
Guest
Well that justifies the 'boys club' tag.. The one chance to test players and they throw it out because mates stick together. Honestly had a gutful of the ACB.