Australia have backed continuity for the Ashes finale in Sydney, naming an unchanged 15-man squad for the fifth Test against England at the SCG starting Sunday, January 4. Steve Smith will be leading the team, with Pat Cummins sidelined, as the hosts look to close the series with authority after their first defeat of the summer.
The squad arrives in the immediate aftermath of a chaotic Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, which ended in just two days, and the pitch was later rated unsatisfactory by the ICC. Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg summed up the mood bluntly in the fallout: short Tests are bad for business. For Australia, the bigger concern is getting their batting back to normal after being dragged into a shootout on a furry surface.
Australia have retained the urn after clinching an unassailable lead in Adelaide, but the finale still matters. World Test Championship points are on the table, and England arrive with momentum after snapping a long drought for Test wins on Australian soil.
Australia squad for the fifth Ashes Test (SCG)
Steve Smith (c), 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.
