Will Pucovski out for Ashes as Usman Khawaja makes the cut

Embattled opener Will Pucovski is set to miss the entire Ashes summer.

Will Pucovski is likely to be out for the entire Ashes summer. Picture: Getty Images.

Embattled opener Will Pucovski is set to miss the entire Ashes summer. Marcus Harris has made the most of the clean air afforded him by selectors and his teammate, but Tim Paine still must prove himself at club cricket ahead of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba on ­December 8.

Selectors named 15 men on Wednesday for the first two matches of the historic series, with a shadow group of 11 Australia A players who will act as reserves through the summer.

The only place in the batting order up for grabs is the No.5, with Harris booked in to accompany David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne at No.3, Steve Smith locked in at No.4 and Cameron Green ready for his second summer at No.6.

Paine is due to play club cricket in Hobart on the weekend followed by a second XI match to prove there are no lingering ill-­effects from neck surgery.

Usman Khawaja, as expected, has made a comeback and is a chance to play his first game for Australia since being dropped in the 2019 Ashes. He is likely to bat in the middle order but is in competition for that place with in-form South Australian skipper Travis Head.

Queensland seamer Michael Neser has held his spot in the squad, fending off Sean Abbott and Scott Boland, but Jhye Richardson is also pushing for a start.

Victorian batter Nic Maddinson and his bowling teammate Scott Boland did not make the cut, but are in the Australia A squad.

Australia did not change its bowling line up during the four Tests in the Border Gavaskar Trophy and appeared to pay a price with diminishing results in the second half of that series. Cummins was the only seamer to play all five Tests of the last Ashes series.

Pucovski was again left out of the Victorian Sheffield Shield squad for Thursday’s match against NSW at the SCG. He has not played following a concussion in the nets early last month and was supposed to return to grade cricket last weekend but the round was washed out.

“I can’t say that (he won’t play in the Ashes series) but equally I can’t see how he can now get the opportunity to show that he’s ready to go to play in the Test matches,” Victorian coach Chris Rogers said. “To be playing club cricket and to be picked out of club cricket, I’d probably be pretty surprised, as a lot of people would. I think even Will understands that.”

The lingering effects from what is thought to be his second battle with concussion will surely provoke more questions about his ­future. Pucovski missed selection in 2018-19 when selectors had a last-minute change of heart and at the start of the Border Gavaskar when he was struck in a warm up game and concussed.

He made his debut in the Sydney Test, but injured a shoulder which was operated on and kept him out of this year’s pre-season training. Harris, however, has earned his spot, and Australia at least look set to avoid the chaos of the Indian Test series where Matthew Wade and Joe Burns were used in the first two, Warner and Pucovski in Sydney and then Warner and Harris in Brisbane.

Green, Richardson and leg spinner Mitchell Swepson are three inclusions who were not part of the 2019 Ashes squad, while Cameron Bancroft, Mitch Marsh, James Pattinson (retired), Peter Siddle (retired) and Wade have not found a place.

Sean Abbott was one of the surprise omissions, but selectors backed Richardson who notched up 8-61 against Queensland in the most recent Shield match.

“Jhye is seeing the rewards of concentrating on his red ball cricket in the build up to this series. We know he has an exceptional skill set and are excited about what he brings to the team now his body is back on track,” said chairman of selectors George Bailey.

Bailey acknowledged Khawaja, 34, has the ability to bat anywhere in the order but had indicated ­already Harris would open.

After 10 Tests, the Victorian is averaging 23.77 and his top score of 79 came against India at the SCG in 2019 but he had a good winter with Leicester and started well in the first-class season at home.

Khawaja will have his eyes on the No. 5 place but the selectors have confidence in Head, 27, who is averaging just under 40 from 19 Test matches.

“Travis finished last summer strongly, second only to Cameron Green for runs scored, and has again started the season well,” Bailey said. “Similarly, Usman Khawaja has been in great touch. He brings a calm, consistent and experienced component to the batting line up.”