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Australia have locked in their playing XI for the second Test against West Indies, set to begin on July 3 at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s, Grenada. With a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, Pat Cummins and his men are aiming to seal the contest with another commanding performance.
The Aussies secured a comprehensive 159-run victory in the first Test in Barbados and will now look to maintain that dominance in a venue where they’ve never played before.
Steve Smith returns after recovering from the injury
One of the major highlights of the announced XI is the return of seasoned batter Steve Smith. The 35-year-old had missed the opening game due to a dislocated finger he sustained during the World Test Championship final. Smith’s absence was felt in the middle order, and his comeback is expected to add stability to the Australian batting lineup.
Captain Cummins confirmed Smith’s availability and said the star batter came through training sessions unscathed. In a statement on cricket.com.au, he said: “He’s ready to go. The finger held up well. He was really happy, particularly while batting.”
While Smith’s batting appears unaffected, Cummins mentioned that fielding positions might be slightly tweaked.
“He might not be in the slips too often – maybe for spin he’ll be OK, but for the quicks, he might need to wait another week,” added Cummins.
St George’s: A fresh challenge for the Aussies
The Test will be Australia’s first-ever outing at the scenic St George’s Park in Grenada, a venue that has hosted only four Tests so far. The most recent one came in 2022 when the West Indies thrashed England by 10 wickets. The surface there has historically offered good assistance to pace bowlers, something the visitors will be keen to exploit with their well-rounded attack.
With this being a rare fixture in the Caribbean cricketing calendar, Australia’s adaptability will be tested—both in terms of conditions and playing combinations.
Australia XI for the second Test against West Indies
Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
