Adelaide, Dec 16 (IANS) Skipper Pat Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon have returned to the Australia’s playing XI for the crucial third Test at Adelaide Oval.

Allrounder Michael Neser is the unluckiest of Australia’s two omissions from their eight-wicket win at the Gabba, with fellow seamer Brendan Doggett also making way.

For Cummins the match will mark his first Test appearance since he featured against the West Indies in the middle of the year, with the right-armer revealing he was ready to return and won’t be restricted by the number of overs he can bowl.

“Yeah, I am good to go. I’ve been bowling at 100 percent for a while now. If I played in Brisbane, I would have probably been on limited overs, but this week, it’s just go and play like any other Test match,” Cummins said.

However, there was no room for veteran opener Usman Khawaja, with selectors instead sticking with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald as their opening pair, while wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis retained his place in the side and will bat at No.7.

Cummins insists Khawaja’s international career is not over despite the soon-to-be 39-year-old being overlooked for a recall in the third Ashes Test.

“He’s a real team man. He’ll do whatever the team needs,” Cummins said of Khawaja in Adelaide on Tuesday. “And it’s not only Uzzie, you’ve got Beau Webster, who’s missed out on these three Tests. Neser is coming off a five-for, and Doggy (Doggett) played in the first two Tests and is doing really well.

“So there’s a disappointed group of players. But they’ve all been fantastic around the group. We need a squad to win an Ashes series and they’ve all been brilliant,” he said.

Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

–IANS

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