Australia coach Justin Langer has confirmed James Pattinson and Usman Khawaja are certain starters for the opening Ashes Test in Birmingham on Thursday.
Khawaja passed a fitness test on Monday after recovering from a hamstring injury and Langer confirmed the left-hander will bat at No.3, while fast bowler Pattinson will play in his first Test match since February 2016.
Langer explains: “Usman Khawaja will definitely be in... he’ll bat number three.”
On Pattinson’s return to the lineup, Langer adds: “[He’s] just a very, very good bowler. I’m sure [captain Tim Paine] will work out ways of using him.”
While Steve Smith and David Warner both featured and looked the part at the recent World Cup, Cameron Bancroft, the third player banned after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year, is still working his way back into the team.
Of him, Langer says: “It would be a great story if [Bancroft] comes back into the team.
“His development after what happened in Cape Town has been extraordinary.”