Cummins, Hazlewood, Green return in Australia’s WTC final squad

SYDNEY: Captain Pat Cummins, fellow quick bowler Josh Hazlewood and all-rounder Cameron Green were all named Tuesday in Australia’s 15-man squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’’s next month.

Cummins (ankle) and Hazlewood (hip and calf) missed Australia’s most recent Test series in Sri Lanka because of injury but both have successfully returned to action in the Indian Premier League.

Green returns to the squad for the first time since undergoing back surgery in October last year. Exciting 19-year-old batsman Sam Konstas also gets the nod after being left out of the squad that won both Tests in Sri Lanka and is in line to open alongside Usman Khawaja.

Konstas made an explosive start to his Test career against India in December, hitting 60 from 65 balls at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with six fours and two sixes. Hazlewood has taken 18 wickets to be third on the IPL bowling charts since coming back from injury.

But he sat out Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s last match 10 days ago with a shoulder niggle. Green is already in England, on a five-match county stint for Gloucestershire, where he has been playing as a batsman only and scored a century in his first game back after surgery.

“We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad,” said chair of selectors George Bailey. “The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade. “Cummins’ side could become the first to retain the WTC when they face South Africa at Lord’s from June 11, having beaten India in the previous final at the Oval in 2023. The same squad will fly on to the West Indies for three Tests in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica from June 25.