Matthew Renshaw returns to the top of the order as Australia’s XI for the second Test confirmed in bid to level series in Mackay
Australia have resisted the temptation to leave out Nathan Lyon out for the second NRMA Insurance Test against Bangladesh, confirming on match eve that Matthew Renshaw would be their only inclusion for Mackay’s Test debut.
The mild winter weather of central Queensland had the hosts weighing up whether to bring Scott Boland in for Lyon, with Pat Cummins indicating selectors wanted more time to make a call on the make-up of their attack.
Australia XI for second Test: Matthew Renshaw, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
“Trying to give another day to see whether it’s four quicks or a spinner,” Cummins initially told reporters at the Great Barrier Reef arena.
But selectors convened pitch-side shortly after Cummins spoke and confirmed Lyon had held his spot. The Aussies had twice played all-seam attacks for pink-ball Tests last year but the last time they left Lyon out of their XI when fit for a red-ball Test was 14 years ago at the WACA Ground.
Australia punted Jake Weatherald one Test into their 20-Test-in-12-months odyssey and have otherwise resisted wholesale changes to their side, also sticking with the misfiring Marnus Labuschagne at No.3.
Renshaw played the last of his 14 Tests in 2023, batting in the middle order in India, but now returns to the opening spot he struck a century from in 2016-17 against Pakistan as a fresh-faced 20-year-old.
More to come
NRMA Insurance Bangladesh Test series
First Test: Bangladesh won by nine wickets
Second Test: August 22-26, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 10am (local)
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (vc), Soumya Sarkar, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Amite Hasan, Jaker Ali Anik, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Musfik Hasan, Litton Das, Shoriful Islam
