Australia will enter the Boxing Day Test without a leading spinner, with captain Steve Smith confirming the hosts will once again rely on a four-pronged pace attack.
With Nathan Lyon sidelined through injury and his understudy Todd Murphy omitted, Australia have opted to stack their XI with fast bowlers after assessing the conditions at the MCG.
Speaking on Christmas Day, Smith said the decision was made after a close look at the surface.
“We are down for 12 runs. I want to look at the wicket again tomorrow. We are going to play four quick ones, no spinner,” he said. Smith described the pitch as “very green” with “about 10 millimeters of grass”, suggesting it could provide considerable assistance to the seamers.
Weather conditions are also expected to be favorable for fast bowling, with cool temperatures forecast and a high of 26 degrees for the first three days.
“It will be very cold and cloudy like today. I daresay there will be some movement on that surface,” he added.
The 36-year-old was quick to make it clear that Murphy’s omission was not a reflection of his talent.
“A lot of the wickets we’re playing at the moment are seam-friendly rather than spin-friendly. We had a rough one in Adelaide last week and we saw Nathan come in to play. You have to play on the surface you’re given,” he said. “If Nathan was here, we’d still be having the same conversation. It’s definitely not related to Todd’s talent.”
Fast bowler Jay Richardson is in the match after being included in the squad.
The 29-year-old last played a Test during the 2021 Ashes series in Adelaide, where he took five wickets in the second innings. Smith expressed his excitement at Richardson’s reshuffle.
“He’s been sidelined with injury for a long time but we know the skills he has. He did that against England and it’s good to see him back on the table,” he said, praising Richardson’s ability to swing the ball at pace and seam.
Despite modest returns so far in the series, the right-handed batsman has supported all-rounder Cameron Greene. Green scored 76 runs in four innings and took two wickets in 37 overs.
“He is bowling well and took a vital wicket in the last game with Harry Brook,” he said. “With the bat, he’s gotten some good starts and looked comfortable. It’s about turning those starts into big scores. We know how good he is, and he saves a truckload of runs in the field.”
After missing the previous Test in Adelaide with a vestibular problem, the Australian captain confirmed he is fully fit.
“I feel 100% now. It was disappointing to miss that Test, especially as it looked like a good wicket to bat on, but it was the right call at the time,” Smith said.
It is worth noting that the hosts are expected to finalize their XI after the final inspection of the pitch ahead of the Boxing Day Test.