Australia Reveals First Test Squad for Clash Against Pakistan. Australia has announced a 14-player squad for the inaugural Test against Pakistan in Perth, featuring the uncapped fast bowler Lance Morris. With an impressive commencement to his first-class career, Morris, boasting 74 wickets at an average of 25.44, stands poised for a potential Test debut at Perth Stadium, representing his home state of Western Australia.
Morris, hitting 150kph, shows no signs of hindrance post back injury, securing 11 wickets in three Sheffield Shield outings. Also, he joins the formidable pace attack alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Boland. Green and Marsh vie for a spot, while Lyon, recovered from calf injury, edges out Murphy.
Khawaja, Head, Labuschagne, and Smith headline the batting, with Warner and no backup batter. Bancroft, Renshaw, and Harris auditioned in the Prime Minister’s XI on December 6 for potential squad inclusion.
George Bailey, the chair of the men’s selection panel, asserts that the team lifting the World Test Championship mace earlier deserves a return, led by Pat Cummins. However, he emphasizes opportunities for those on the fringes to contribute in Australia’s new WTC cycle. Bailey acknowledges the squad’s strong resume but anticipates chances for other players in the short to medium term, especially in the PM’s XI fixture against Pakistan later this week.
Also Read: World Test Championship Points Table (Pakistan On Top) 2023-25 After BAN vs NZ Match
Australia First Test Squad Against Pakistan
Australia squad: Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins (c), David Warner, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Steve Smith. (First Test Only)
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood (c), Saim Ayub, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
PAK vs AUS Test Match Schedule
First Test: December 14-18 at Perth Stadium, 07:30 AM (IST)
Second Test: December 26-30 at MCG, 05:00 AM (IST)
Third Test: January 3-7 at SCG, 05:00 AM (IST)
