Smith set to play despite mystery ailment as Khawaja misses out in Adelaide

Adelaide: Steve Smith is expected to play and Usman Khawaja to miss out on a spot in the Adelaide Ashes Test, despite a mystery ailment that was still affecting Pat Cummins’ faithful deputy on the eve of a game that can ensure the Ashes remain out of English hands for at least a decade.

After missing training on Monday, Smith was still not quite at his best on match eve, despite batting twice in the nets, either side of a painful blow to the groin.

On Tuesday afternoon Smith was being examined by team medical staff, in particular being checked for signs of whether he is suffering a recurrence of vertigo problems that have affected him sporadically in recent years. If Smith’s condition were to deteriorate, it is possible that Khawaja will play in a middle-order role.

Smith has kept a low profile this week following the physical and mental exertions of leading Australia over the critical first two matches of the series, delivering a 2-0 advantage to Cummins and also stamping his authority on Jofra Archer in the closing moments of the Gabba Test.

Despite Smith’s ailment, returning captain Cummins was still confident enough in his fitness to name a team on match eve, confirming that Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will continue their opening partnership.

The news was a blow for Khawaja, who had been hopeful of a recall after recovering from the back spasms that affected him during the Perth Test and then ruled him out of the Gabba.

Cummins said that the impact of Head and Weatherald at the top of the order against England had been too great to ignore, while Inglis deserved another chance in the middle order.

“I think the big thing that shifted on us is probably Trav opening after that first Test and how good that’s looked with Weathers,” Cummins said. “We were pretty happy with that batting line-up, and it didn’t feel like it needed to change, the middle order.

“It feels like it makes sense for now, [but] that might change. [Head] will do this week, each game you have a look at what the next week needs, but, with the current line-up, we’ve got plenty of flexibility in the squad.”

Head, who had previously indicated he was willing to open the batting in Australia if the team required, switched his rhetoric to a more adamant push for the spot when Khawaja’s back trouble created an opportunity in Perth.

“I think what you say publicly is always a bit different to what you say privately,” Cummins said. “If someone is nominating a spot, it means someone else is missing out. Trav’s a great team man and vice captain so he never wants to tread on any toes.

“He’s always very adamant he’ll do whatever the team needs and for the last few years we think it’s [batting at] No.5, and he’s happily done that. He’s always thrown it up there – we’ve gone through a few openers over the last couple of years, and he’s said, ‘If you need me, I’m happy to do it’.

“But I think when he was running off at Perth Stadium, and he was demanding, he goes, ‘I think it’s my time, I think it’s me’, and we were like, ‘Go for it’ – that was probably the first time it was OK, he really wants it and thinks this is his opportunity.”

At the same time, Cummins made it clear that there may still be a path back into the team for Khawaja, should circumstances change.

“The selectors have been quite adamant we’re picking a side each week, [and it] doesn’t necessarily mean it’s got to be exactly the same team as the previous week,” Cummins said. “We do that with the bowlers.

“This week Nathan Lyon’s coming back in. One of Uzzy’s great strengths is he’s scored runs at the top and scored runs in the middle. He’s in the squad, if we didn’t think he’d be good enough to come straight in he wouldn’t be here in the squad. So absolutely I can see a path back at some point, if needed.”

Lyon and Cummins will return to the bowling attack in place of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser. Cummins’ recall will be for his first game of cricket since the West Indies tour in July, where he first felt discomfort that turned out to be a back stress injury.

“[I’m] good to go. I’ve been bowling 100 per cent for a while,” Cummins said. “If I played in Brisbane I would’ve probably been on limited overs, but this week it’s just go and play like any other Test match.”

Having watched the first two Tests from the sidelines, Cummins expressed confidence that the Australian attack would be able to continue tempting England’s Bazballers into errors outside the off stump.

“That’s what your hope is – that players come over here, and you can nick them off like we have been,” he said. “[I] don’t know if it’s really surprising.

“Like any series you’ve got to adapt, and I’m sure they’ll come out with some different plans and methods for this game, and we’ll try to adapt to that as well but it’ been pretty good to watch so far.”

The third Test starts at Adelaide Oval at 10.30am AEDT Wednesday.

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