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Australia announced the 15-member squad connected Thursday (January 1, 2026) for the 5th and last Ashes Test against England, starting connected January 4 successful Sydney, arsenic confirmed by cricket.com.au.
In the lack of regular skipper Pat Cummins, seasoned batter Steve Smith volition proceed to pb the Australian side. Pat Cummins missed the archetypal 2 Ashes Tests against England aft failing to retrieve connected clip owed to a little backmost injury.
Cummins returned to the broadside and played astatine the Adelaide Oval and captained Australia, arsenic the big won and retained the Ashes.
However, the Australian absorption has decided to springiness Cummins remainder for the remainder of the Ashes bid to negociate his workload and support him acceptable for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 successful India and Sri Lanka. The right-arm pacer is besides portion of Australia’s provisional squad for the marquee tournament.
Meanwhile, amid ongoing Test status speculations, the 39-year-old Usman Khawaja has retained his spot successful the squad for the 5th Ashes Test against England successful Sydney.
In the ongoing Ashes series, the 39-year-old Khawaja started arsenic Australia’s long-standing opener. During the 2nd innings of the Perth Test, Khawaja didn’t travel retired to bat aft helium suffered backmost spasms. He missed the Brisbane Test and was initially near retired for Adelaide, lone being recalled to bat astatine No. 4 due to the fact that of Steven Smith’s illness, who was ruled retired of the Test.
During the 4th Ashes Test against England, Khawaja played successful the mediate bid with Travis Head and Jack Weatherald. The left-handed batter made 29 disconnected 52 balls and a two-ball duck crossed some innings.
In the ongoing Ashes, Khawaja has made 153 runs successful 3 matches and 5 innings astatine an mean of 30.60, including 1 fifty, which came successful Adelaide.
The hosts volition look to bounce backmost successful the upcoming Sydney Test aft they suffered a four-wicket nonaccomplishment successful the Boxing Day Test against the Ben Stokes-led England astatine Melbourne.
Australia squad for 5th Ashes Test:
Steve Smith (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
