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Bharat & Morris’ Aussie XIs: One key omission in SCG team
SEN • December 29th, 2025 11:00 am
SEN Cricket's Bharat Sundaresan and Tom Morris have made their Australian selections for the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.
The Aussie XI has certainly not been set this summer, mainly due to injury, but there are some serious form issues taking place.
Cam Green’s spot in the side continues to be questioned while Usman Khawaja, who has performed well upon his recall, is no certainty to stay in.
And should Australia play a spinner in Sydney? If so, Todd Murphy is the man.
With all in mind, Sundaresan named his XI accompanied by some explanations.
Bharat’s 5th Test XI
1 - Travis Head2 - Jake Weatherald3 - Marnus Labuschagne4 - Steve Smith5 - Usman Khawaja6 - Alex Carey7 - Cam Green8 - Michael Neser9 - Mitch Starc10 - Scott Boland11 - Todd Murphy
Change: Todd Murphy in for Jhye Richardson.
Explanation:
“Jake Weatherald should get one more Test match,” Sundaresan said on SEN’s The New Ball.
“Marnus needs runs. He said he’s feeling good about his batting, but he just needs runs for his own sake.
“I can’t see them leaving out Khawaja. I would keep him in the side, he batted well in the first innings (in Melbourne).
“The big question is Cam Green and Beau Webster. Already Green has gone from 6 to 5 to 7 this summer. There’s only so many times you go back to the ‘oh, the pitch was too difficult thing’ for someone who has struggled throughout this season.
“But I think they’ll stick with him and give him one more Test which would be really unfair on Webster.
“We’ll see Todd Murphy play his first Test on Australian soil.”
Morris’ 5th Test XI
1 - Travis Head2 - Jake Weatherald3 - Marnus Labuschagne4 - Steve Smith5 - Usman Khawaja6 - Alex Carey7 - Beau Webster8 - Michael Neser9 - Mitch Starc10 - Scott Boland11 - Todd Murphy
Changes: Todd Murphy in for Jhye Richardson. Beau Webster in for Cam Green.
Explanation:
“I’m dropping Cam Green because I’m playing Beau Webster,” said Morris.
“The reason for that is, if you’re going to play Khawaja because you accept he’s in the best XI, I think you need to accept that Cam Green is no longer in the best XI at the moment.
“We look at Cam Green as a project player for down the track, but he’s four years younger than Webster who could easily have a four or five-year Test career.
“I don’t think Cam Green warrants a spot in the XI anymore and I think Webster does.”
