Ashes 2023: Josh Hazlewood replaces Scott Boland In Australia playing XI for 4th Test in Manchester

By India Today Sports Desk: Australia have made one change to their team for the fourth Ashes Test against England, with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood replacing Scott Boland in the team that lost the Leeds Test.

Australia captain Pat Cummins confirmed the development and revealed that the team’s top five will remain unchanged for the fourth Test, which begins on July 19 in Manchester. Hazlewood took three and five wickets in the first two Tests against England at Edgbaston and Lord’s, respectively.

“Josh will come in for Scott Boland, and the top order will stay the same,” Cummins said.

“Part of the conversation is how do two allrounders fit in, is spin going to be important this week?”

David Warner has been retained after being dismissed for single figures in both innings by his nemesis Stuart Broad in the third Test.

“Davey didn’t have his best game last week at Headingley, but prior to that, he has looked really good. He has had three 50-run (opening) partnerships, which can be rare over in England,” Cummins added.

Australia haven’t played a Test without a specialist spinner since January 2012, when they faced India at the WACA with four specialist seamers, before Nathan Lyon had established himself in the side.

With Lyon out of the series due to a calf injury, Australia is once again in a position where their spinner is not an automatic selection.

Murphy, who played four Tests against India alongside Lyon earlier this year, got his first taste of Ashes cricket at Headingley, where he dismissed Ben Stokes in the first innings before being given only two overs in the second.

“Part of the conversation is how do two all-rounders fit in, is spin going to be important this week?” the Australia captain said.

“We’ve played games with one quick, we’ve played some games with heaps of quicks. It’s all really conditions-based.

“As I said last week about Toddy, I would have loved to bowl him a bit more but there wasn’t a heap of overs in the game, the ball seemed to swing and seam a little bit.

“So that’s certainly something to weigh up this week.”

The fourth Test starts on Wednesday at Old Trafford, with England needing a win to tie the series. Australia leads the series 2-1, and a draw would be enough to keep the urn.