Australia v England | Third Ashes Test | Day Three

Usman Khawaja’s answers to Australia’s Steve Smith SOS and Alex Carey’s sustained brilliance this Ashes series have left selectors with myriad considerations for the rest of the summer – and beyond.

As Travis Head announced emphatically that he is here to stay as a Test opener, the performances of Khawaja and Carey, both in new roles in the batting order, have given George Bailey’s panel some enviable conundrums going into the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

Khawaja had been cut from the XI earlier this week and his international career looked over. Now, after hitting 83 and 40 batting at No.4 instead of the unwell Steve Smith, Australia must now consider whether the 39-year-old remains in their XI and potentially receive a farewell in his childhood home, Sydney.

Carey meanwhile has now peeled off scores of 26, 63, 106 and 52no to have his series run tally (247) sitting behind only Head’s (351). The currently not-out pair have an opportunity to pile on even more on day four in Adelaide.

Khawaja, fresh off 82 in the Aussies’ first dig, threw away a golden chance to make himself undroppable like he did with his twin tons during his 2021-22 Ashes comeback when, on 40, he edged a Will Jacks half-tracker.

Yet, the left-hander’s 86-run stand with Head on day three was precisely the type of settling hand Australia needed in the absence of their best batter. When he arrived at the crease, England had a flicker of hope. When he departed it had all but gone.

“Not surprised, played really well again today,” Head said of Khawaja, who he described as a “calm head, with a lot of experience”.

“That’s what we’ve got within our squad of 15. I know he would have been disappointed earlier in the week to be told he’s missing out, but to then draw on that, to be told again in the morning (of day one that he was playing).

“He may or may not have expected it … in the back of his mind he would have been preparing to play. I think anyone in this 15 could be playing. Everyone’s got the experience.

“(Smith’s are) big shoes to fill, but it just felt right at the time when he comes in.”

The tough batting calls Australia must make will be laid bare if Smith, who was in the hosts’ dressing room on Friday, returns to the middle order for Boxing Day. That would mean Khawaja, if he stays in the side, would need to find a new spot in the batting order.

He could go back to his favoured opening spot to partner Head after Jake Weatherald (18 and 1) did himself no favours when he failed to review his second-innings lbw.

But Weatherald, three games into his international career, has shown the most of any new opener since David Warner’s retirement last year. His emergence as a top-flight player will be crucial for series against Bangladesh and South Africa next year, especially if Khawaja finishes up at the end of this summer.

Josh Inglis is in a similar boat in that regard, with Australia’s brains trust having long been eager to find a place for him in the Test side. He would be the obvious fall guy for Khawaja, who would surely not bat at seven in Melbourne.

That’s where Carey’s thunderous series – his strike-rate stands at 75, his average at 82, while his wicketkeeping has earned plaudits – adds a further complication.

There is a case for Carey to even go one spot higher given his sparkling form; only Head has more runs for Australia in 2025. A promotion to five, where Carey bats for South Australia, could even help Cameron Green, who capped a tough Test with the bat by nicking off for 7 after his first-innings duck.

Coach Andrew McDonald has previously indicated Australia’s preference for keeping Green and Carey together in the batting order.

The Western Australian allrounder took the vital wicket of Harry Brook during England’s first innings amid his encouraging return to the bowling crease after undergoing back surgery last year.

But his spot will come under the microscope given he is averaging 22 from his past 12 innings as Beau Webster waits in the wings having been an unfortunate omission for the series opener.

Australia can be safe in the knowledge these problems pale into comparison to England’s, whose top seven now has just two batters averaging more than 30 for the series and whose opening bowler, Jofra Archer, has a higher batting average than both their opening batters.

‘We want to be ruthless and keep grinding’: Head

2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT

Australia squad (third Test only): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue