Cummins and Lyon return; still no place for Khawaja

Usman Khawaja has not been included in Australia's Playing XI for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, starting Wednesday (December 17). Captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon return to the side, replacing Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett. Australia have retained the opening pair of Jake Weatherald and Travis Head as they aim to secure the series with a 2-0 lead.

Cummins is playing his first competitive match in five months, having recovered from a lower back stress injury sustained in July during the series against West Indies.

Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Neser, who took a five-wicket haul in the second innings at the Gabba, and Doggett, who was joint second-highest wicket-taker after two Tests, miss out due to the return of Cummins and Lyon, who have a combined 871 Test wickets.

On the batting order, Cummins was non-committal about the Head-Weatherald opening combination. "At the moment it feels like it makes sense for now. That might change," he said. "We were pretty happy with that batting line up, and it didn't feel like a need to change the middle order."

This configuration leaves Khawaja out of the side. With his 39th birthday approaching, his future appears uncertain, but Cummins did not rule out a recall. "If we didn't think he'd be good enough to come straight in, then he wouldn't be here in the squad. So absolutely I can see a path back at some point if needed."

England have made one change to their XI, with Josh Tongue replacing Gus Atkinson.