AUS vs NZ: Australia released their playing 11 for the first test match against New Zealand: Veteran batsman Steve Smith will continue to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of Australia’s batting order for the upcoming match between Australia and New Zealand, as captain Pat Cummins confirmed his playing eleven for the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington.
Smith has been deployed as an opening batsman since the retirement of David Warner earlier this year and he put in some mixed performances during Australia’s most recent Test series against the West Indies as the experienced right-hander batted in the second innings. Had failed on three occasions before scoring 91*. against the Caribbean team in Brisbane.
Cummins revealed Australia will name an unchanged XI for the first Test starting against the Kiwis at the Basin Reserve on Thursday, with Smith placed at the top of the batting order and Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh both included in a relatively new top six. The starters have been confirmed.
New Zealand will be forced to make changes to the team that defeated South Africa earlier this month, with veteran opener Devon Conway (thumb) injured due to an issue that arose during the T20I series against the Australian team.
The Kiwis currently top the ICC World Test Championship standings, while Australia is placed third and keen to move into the box seat to defeat their trans-Tasman rivals in the two-test series and reach the final for the second consecutive time will be.
Australia test Playing 11 against New Zealand
Playing XI: Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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