Ashes 2019: Mitchell Starc in as Australia announce 12-man squad for the 4th Test

What's the story?

Australia have announced their 12-man squad for the 4th Ashes Test match which will begin from 4th September at Old Trafford.

The background...

Steve Smith had to sit out of the 3rd Test match, owing to the injury he suffered after being hit by a bouncer from Jofra Archer. Australia fought well in the absence of Smith, but a superb innings from Ben Stokes helped England to tie the series with a 1-wicket win.

The team's left-handed batsman, Usman Khawaja has not performed well in this series as he has scored only 122 runs in six innings. On the other hand, the fearsome left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was not included in the team. To make up for their mistakes, Australia have made a few changes in their match squad.

The heart of the matter

Australia have named the 12 players who will represent the nation in the 4th Test against England, where a win will allow them to retain the Ashes. The squad goes as follows -

Australia's 12-man squad for 4th Test : David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matt Wade, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

As mentioned ahead, Usman Khawaja's poor performances have forced the team management to drop him, while they have brought in Mitchell Starc. Also, the team's marquee batsman, Steve Smith has returned to the team.

What's next?

The 4th Ashes Test will begin tomorrow. It will be intriguing to see if Australia are able to retain the urn or if the hosts manage to pull off another epic win.

Can Australia win the 4th Test with this squad? Share your views in the comments box below.

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