- KR Bharat
- 2025-12-26
Australia has named a pace-dominant squad for the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), opting to leave out spinner Todd Murphy following Nathan Lyon’s long-term hamstring injury. Captain Steve Smith confirmed that the team will rely on fast bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Brendan Doggett, and Michael Neser, while waiting until the toss to finalise the XI.
England, already trailing 3-0 in the series, suffered a major setback as Jofra Archer was ruled out for the remainder of the Ashes, including the fifth Test in Sydney starting January 4. With the MCG pitch expected to favour seam bowling, Australia has decided not to replace Lyon with another spinner, a rare move at a venue historically successful for spinners like Shane Warne and Lyon himself.
The pace-heavy selection highlights Australia’s strategy to exploit seam-friendly conditions, while England will need to adapt without their star bowler as the series continues.
