AUS vs SA : Australia Playing 11 for South Africa, 3rd Test

Published - 04 Jan 2023, 12:54 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 07:09 AM

Usman Khawaja Australia ICC WTC 2023-25
Australia. Photo Credit: (Getty Images)

Australia takes on South Africa in the third and final Test in Sydney. The Aussies have already won the series having won the first two Test matches. They are eyeing a whitewash. A series win here will take them one step closer to making the WTC final. They take on India in a four-match Test series in February-March which will also conclude the WTC 2021-23 cycle.

The Aussies won the first Test by six wickets and the second by an innings and 182 runs. David Warner scored a memorable 2022 in his 100th Test match to set up a memorable win for the Aussies. He picked up some cramps but is fine to take the field in Sydney. The batting looks good with Warner, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Alex Carey all in form.

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Mitchell Starc finger injury
Photo Credit: (Twitter)

The Aussies will the services of Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green heading into the SCG Test. Both of them are ruled out with finger injuries. Starc will thus end the series with 8 wickets and Green with five.

The board has added Ashton Agar and Matt Renshaw as replacements ahead of the third Test. If not Renshaw, Agar is more than likely to be a part of the playing XI. In this article, we take a look at Australia’s playing XI for the third Test against South Africa.

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AUS vs SA: Australia Playing 11 for South Africa, 3rd Test

David Warner

David Warner
David Warner (PC-Getty Images)

Warner will open the batting for Australia. He will play his 101st Test match. He is fresh off an unbeaten 2022 in his 100th Test. The southpaw ended 2022 with 571 runs from 11 Test matches averaging 30.05.

Also Read: Updated World Test Championship Points Table, WTC Table, Latest Rankings 2022

Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja and David Warner put on 156 runs together. Photo- AFP-Getty Images
Usman Khawaja and David Warner put on 156 runs together. Photo- AFP-Getty Images

Khawaja will open the batting with Warne. He scored just one in the first innings. However, the senior openers will be retained in the XI. Khawaja ended with 1080 runs in 11 Test matches averaging over 65.

Marnus Labuschagne / Matt Renshaw

Marnus Labuschagne
Marnus Labuschagne. Image: Twitter

One among Renshaw or Labuschagne might play in the third Test. The right-hander scored just 31 in four innings and might be benched. Labuschagne finished the year with 957 runs in 11 Test matches averaging over 60.

Steve Smith

Marnus Labuschagne And Steve Smith
Marnus Labuschagne And Steve Smith (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former skipper Steve Smith will slot in at number four. He has scored 127 runs in the first two Tests. In MCG he scored 85 in the only innings that Australia batted. Smith scored 876 runs in 11 Tests in 2022 averaging 58.40.

Travis Head

Travis Head
Travis Head. Pic Credits: Twitter.

Head will slot in at five. He scored 51 in the only innings that Australia batted in Sydney. The southpaw scored 655 runs in 10 Test matches in 2022 averaging 50.38.

Alex Carey (WK)

Australia's wicketkeeper Alex Carey (R) plays a shot during the second day of the second Test cricket match between Pakistan and Australia at the National Cricket Stadium in Karachi on March 13, 2022. (Photo by ASIF HASSAN / AFP) (Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Carey is Australia’s designated keeper in Test matches. He scored his debut Test ton in the MCG Test. The southpaw has scored 133 runs in two Test matches in the series so far.

Ashton Agar

Ashton Agar
Ashton Agar (Image Credits: Twitter)

Agar will replace Cameron Green in the XI. He will be the second spinner in the playing XI. He has a best of 98 in Test cricket. He will slot in at seven. The spinner was recalled into the Test side after he played his last Test in 2017.

Pat Cummins (C)

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Photo Credit: (Getty Images)

Cummins will slot in at eight in the lineup. He has taken 8 wickets in the first two Tests so far. He ended 2022 with 36 wickets across 10 Test matches. He has also decided to skip IPL 2023 for international commitments.

Lance Morris

Lance Morris
Photo Credit: (Twitter)

Western Australia’s Lance Morris might make his Test debut at the SCG. He is fresh off a good performance in the Sheffield Cup picking up a fifer against New South Wales.

Scott Boland

Scott Boland
Scott Boland (Image: Twitter)

Boland will be the third pacer in the lineup. He has got a new life in international cricket after being picked up in the squad for the South Africa series. The pacer has picked up seven wickets in the first two Tests.

Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins
Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins (PC-Getty Images)

Lyon will conclude Australia’s likely playing XI for the SCG Test. He has picked up 8 wickets in the first two Tests. He ended 2022 with 47 wickets in 11 Tests.

Also Read: AUS vs SA: “He Is Someone I Am Quite Close To” – Matt Renshaw Credits Life Coach Usman Khawaja For Test Recall Against South Africa

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