Australia and England head to Sydney for the final act of the Ashes with the series already decided. Australia hold a 3-1 lead after England’s surprise win in Melbourne and will look to finish strongly at the SCG, while England aim to build on rare momentum in what has otherwise been a punishing tour.
Selection dominates the conversation ahead of the fifth Test. An injury to Gus Atkinson has forced England into at least one change to their bowling attack, but will Shoaib Bashir finally get a game?
The SCG surface could yet influence late decisions, especially around spin options. This match also marks the end of an era with Usman Khawaja set to play his final Test.
Below is a full breakdown of the lineups, team news and injury updates for the fifth Ashes Test.
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Australia vs. England Fifth Test lineups: Team news, Injury latest
Australia have named a 15-man squad for the Sydney test, including the departing Khawaja but there is no place for captain Pat Cummins, whose workload is being managed before the ICC T20 World Cup.
The biggest interest is whether Todd Murphy gets the nod as a spinner. The percentage of wickets falling to spin in Sydney since 2022-23 – just shy of one in five – puts it alongside Perth as the most slow-bowler friendly venues in the country.
Predicted Australia XI: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Scott Boland, Todd Murphy
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England arrive in Sydney forced into change after Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury following the Boxing Day Test. Matthew Potts is expected to make his Ashes debut, while the tourists continue to debate whether to include off-spinner Shoaib Bashir on a surface that has offered mixed assistance to spin in recent years.
Jacob Bethell is expected to keep his place after a crucial contribution in Melbourne, while Ben Stokes and Joe Root lead a batting group under pressure to finish the tour on a high. England are set to delay naming their final XI until closer to the match to assess conditions at the SCG.
Predicted England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue
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Australia vs. England 5th Test match details
- Date: January 4-8, 2026
- Start Time: First ball 10:30am AEDT (11:30 pm previous day GMT)
- Venue: SCG, Sydney
- Competition: The Ashes