Australia have named a 15-player squad for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, and the headline is impossible to miss. Captain Pat Cummins and off-spinner Nathan Lyon are out. With the Ashes already secured, selectors have chosen caution, depth, and a longer view over star power.
The decision lands just days before one of cricket’s most watched fixtures, and it says plenty about where Australia believe the series now stands.
Cummins Sidelined as Australia Look Beyond the Ashes
The absence of Pat Cummins is the most striking call in the squad announcement.
Cummins, who only recently returned from a back issue, will miss the Boxing Day Test and the rest of the Ashes series. Australia coach Andrew McDonald made it clear this was not a last-minute call, or a reaction to any setback.
It was planned. Carefully, some would say.
McDonald said discussions around Cummins’ workload and risk profile happened well before his return. Australia had a goal in mind, lock up the Ashes early, and they got it done. Asking their captain to keep pushing after that, especially with his injury history, was seen as unnecessary.
“He won’t play any part in the rest of the series,” McDonald said, blunt and calm.
There’s no hint of drama here. Cummins, according to the team, is comfortable with the decision. Medical staff were heavily involved, and the message is simple: protect the player, protect the future.
And honestly, with a 3–0 lead already secured, Australia can afford to think this way.
Lyon Also Ruled Out as Murphy Steps Back In
Nathan Lyon’s omission raised fewer eyebrows, but it’s just as significant.
The veteran spinner, a pillar of Australia’s red-ball attack for more than a decade, will also miss the remainder of the series. There’s no suggestion of injury concerns being rushed or hidden, just a sense that the workload has caught up and rotation makes sense.
In his place, Todd Murphy returns to the Test squad.
Murphy impressed earlier in the summer and offers a different rhythm, especially on pitches where Lyon’s relentless accuracy is less of a necessity. Melbourne can be kind to spinners later in games, but it also rewards patience and control.
This is a chance for Murphy to remind everyone why Australia see him as Lyon’s long-term successor.
One sentence sums it up. Succession planning has quietly begun.
Steve Smith to Captain as Familiar Names Hold Their Ground
With Cummins unavailable, leadership duties will fall to Steve Smith.
Smith captaining Australia in Tests is no novelty. He’s been here before, carries the authority, and understands the stage that is Boxing Day at the MCG. For a squad mixing experience with rotation, his presence at the top keeps things steady.
Several players who missed selection in the Adelaide Test remain in the 15. That includes all-rounders Michael Neser and Beau Webster, along with reserve quick Brendan Doggett.
Australia’s selectors clearly value continuity, even when the playing XI changes.
That Adelaide Test, after all, delivered an 82-run win and sealed the series. There’s little appetite to overhaul a group that’s functioning well, even if some faces are sitting on the bench.
It’s rotation, not reinvention.
Fresh Pace Options Enter the Conversation
One of the more interesting inclusions is Jhye Richardson.
Richardson’s name has hovered around Test squads for years, often accompanied by fitness caveats. When fit, his pace, bounce, and movement make him a genuine threat. Boxing Day could offer him another opening, especially with Australia managing their fast-bowling stocks carefully.
With Cummins out and workloads in mind, selectors now have flexibility.
A quick snapshot of what Australia gain with these changes:
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Reduced injury risk for senior bowlers
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A longer look at Murphy and Richardson in match conditions
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Depth tested without jeopardising the series outcome
That balance matters, even when the urn is already retained.
The Ashes Context Makes the Call Easier
Australia’s unassailable 3–0 lead changes everything.
This isn’t a desperate reshuffle or a gamble under pressure. It’s a team acting from a position of control. The Adelaide victory, driven by disciplined bowling and timely batting, gave selectors breathing room.
Cummins himself played a key role there, taking a six-wicket haul that underlined his importance. That performance, according to team management, made the series objective clear and complete.
Once that box was ticked, protecting his long-term fitness became the priority.
There’s also a bigger calendar looming. World Test Championship commitments, overseas tours, and another long summer ahead all factor in. Burning out your captain in a dead rubber makes little sense.
Even traditionalists tend to accept that logic.
Boxing Day Without Two Icons Still Carries Weight
The Boxing Day Test has a gravity of its own.
Packed stands, global broadcasts, and a sense of occasion that goes beyond series math. Some fans will feel short-changed without Cummins or Lyon on the field. That reaction is natural.
But Test cricket has always been about more than individuals.
This match now becomes a proving ground. For Murphy. For Richardson. For Australia’s depth. It’s also a reminder that dominance allows teams to plan ahead rather than scramble.
England, meanwhile, face a different challenge. Playing a rotated but confident Australian side at the MCG is still no gift. Pride, if nothing else, is on the line.
