Australia name one change for second Test, Cummins calls Bangladesh a 'great team'

Matt Renshaw's return to the XI was widely expected, but the debate over whether Australia would field four pacers or three pacers and a spinner continued until the eve of the match. Captain Pat Cummins had said at a press conference that he needed more time to finalise the combination. Shortly after, however, Australia announced their XI for the second Test, opting for three pacers .

There is only one change to the Australian line-up. Renshaw replaces Jake Weatherald, who was dropped after the first Test. This will be Renshaw's first Test for Australia since February 2023. He had previously played as a middle-order batter against India but will now open the innings .

Nathan Lyon, who managed only one wicket across both innings in Darwin, has retained his place despite speculation that Scott Boland could replace him . The decision to keep the in-form Boland out of the XI was clearly not easy, as Cummins's comments suggested.

Asked about the combination, Cummins said he wanted an extra day to decide, with the conditions being the key factor. He noted the challenge of leaving out a quality pacer like Boland, which is why the four-pacer option was repeatedly discussed .

Marnus Labuschagne has also retained his place. Despite not scoring a century in his last 21 Tests, Cummins believes he is close to his best. "He was the number one batter in the world at one stage. He's scored thousands of Test runs. So he has the ability to make big scores. I've seen him in great rhythm in practice over the last few months" .

Cummins also praised Bangladesh at the press conference. Acknowledging the performances of players like Najmul Hossain Shanto and Hasan Mahmud, he said, "A lot of people jump to say that you have to win everything. Obviously, we hope we do. Particularly home Test matches, we pride ourselves on winning as many as we can. We were nowhere near our best [in Darwin], but I think Bangladesh played really well. They're a really good cricket team" .

Australia and Bangladesh will face off in the second and final Test at Mackay on Saturday morning. The win in Darwin gives Bangladesh a chance to claim the series, while Australia, facing the prospect of a home series loss, are desperate for a comeback.

Cummins expects Renshaw to perform at his best. "We just want him to put his best foot forward. There was a narrative about Renshaw in the past—he looked different on different days. But the most important thing for a batter at this stage of his career is to know what his best state looks like. I think he knows that now" .

Australia's playing XI: Matt Renshaw, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood .