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Jhye Richardson has travelled to Melbourne to be with the Australian squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test, with the luckless paceman closing in on a potential Test return after a wretched run of injuries.
The majority of Australia’s Ashes-winning squad flew to the Victorian capital on Monday after celebrating the 11-day retention of the urn, though at least three changes are set to be made to the victorious third Test XI. Australia will name their fourth Test squad on Tuesday.
Richardson, who took 5-42 against England in his last Test appearance four years ago, is in line for a return to Australia’s likely 15-man squad for the fourth Test after training with the side in Adelaide.
Captain Pat Cummins is expected to be rested in Melbourne and flew home to Sydney on Monday with his family, as did Ashes destroyer Mitchell Starc.
Both veteran quicks are expected to link with their teammates again in Melbourne in coming days, with Starc pushing to play all five Tests across a summer marked by constant personnel changes in the attack.
Nathan Lyon hobbled through Melbourne airport on crutches on Monday after a series-ending hamstring injury late on day five, and will remain in the hands of Cricket Australia medical staff while awaiting his final scan results.
Off-spinner Todd Murphy’s seven Tests already for Australia, and experience bowling at the MCG for Victoria, will be considered in deciding Lyon’s replacement.
In-form West Australian Corey Rocchiccioli and left-arm tweaker Matt Kuhnemann are also contenders, while there remains a chance Beau Webster’s off-spin could be relied upon. The all-rounder has been a squad member for each Ashes Test this summer, and is the only player from the Adelaide cohort who is yet to make the final XI.
Cummins conceded on Sunday that he is unlikely to back up from Adelaide with the Ashes won, and may yet sit out the Sydney finale as well to ensure his full recovery from a back injury.
With Starc and Scott Boland expected to take their places on December 26, veteran seamer Michael Neser – who took a decisive 5-42 in Brisbane – and Brendan Doggett will also enter selection calculations as Cummins’ replacement.
Jhye Richardson during his last Test for Australia against England in late 2021.Credit: Getty
Richardson’s gradual return from shoulder surgery has raised hopes he will feature at the back end of the Ashes. The 29-year-old was most recently included in the Australian set-up for last year’s Sydney Test against India, before going under the knife days later in the hope of fixing a shoulder prone to dislocation.
A little over a year ago, Richardson’s shoulder popped out of place celebrating a wicket for Western Australia. He has previously had to limit himself from giving high-fives because of the debilitating injury, which has also impacted his throwing and diving in the field.
Selectors have long valued his skiddy pace and movement both through the air and off the pitch, with a Test career limited to just three appearances and 11 wickets at 22.09.
Richardson’s return to red-ball cricket this summer has seen him progress from grade cricket to playing for a Cricket Australia XI and Australia A against the English Lions – bowling 26 overs for the match and taking 4-35 in the first innings.
While Australia don’t play a Test after the Ashes until next August’s home series against Bangladesh, the following 18 months are jam-packed with marquee tours of South Africa, India and the 2027 Ashes.
Adding a fit and firing Richardson to the Test bowling stocks would be a significant boost given the turnover this summer alone that has seen Cummins and Josh Hazlewood play only Ashes Test between them so far.
As well as replacing Cummins and Lyon on Boxing Day, Australia are set to welcome Steve Smith back as captain after his recovery from the vertigo and dizziness that ruled him out in Adelaide.
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Usman Khawaja’s scores of 82 and 40 in Smith’s place have put Josh Inglis – who has batted at No.7 in the past two Tests – under most pressure to retain his spot, though all-rounder Cameron Green has also had an underwhelming summer with the bat so far.
Australia will resume training on Tuesday with an optional session. England are expected to call up reserve batsman Jacob Bethell in place of battling No.3 Ollie Pope.
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