Brisbane, Dec 10 (NationPress) - Australia’s captain Pat Cummins is on the verge of his return to international cricket after being included in a 15-player squad for the third Ashes Test against England.

The fast bowler is the sole new addition to the team that currently leads the series 2-0, while veteran batsman Usman Khawaja maintains his position in the squad as he seeks to reclaim his spot in the playing XI following his own injury concerns.

Having last participated in international matches during the third Test against the West Indies in July, Cummins has been training vigorously with the team in both Perth and Brisbane. He has been observing from the sidelines as interim captain Steve Smith led Australia to victories by eight wickets in both encounters.

The selectors had even contemplated including Cummins in the squad for the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, as his recovery from a lower back injury has progressed more quickly than anticipated.

Instead, he has intensified his bowling practice at Allan Border Field, simulating match conditions by bowling multiple spells to ensure he is in peak form ahead of his anticipated return for the third Test.

Head coach Andrew McDonald indicated that Cummins was close to playing in the Brisbane Test and is now nearly certain to participate in Adelaide.

“We believe he (Cummins) will be as well-prepared as possible. He exceeded our expectations in terms of recovery, which sparked discussions about his potential participation in Brisbane,” McDonald stated.

“Given his progress, we feel he will be in a strong position for the challenges in Adelaide, although there is still some time to go.”

“We are confident that his practice in the nets has prepared him well. His body is ready for action. Unless something unexpected occurs in the coming week, I anticipate Pat will be leading the team and donning the blazer,” he added.

With Cummins' return to the squad and his expected availability for next Wednesday’s match at Adelaide Oval, selectors face a challenging decision regarding the composition of their bowling lineup.

Alongside Khawaja, spinner Nathan Lyon is also poised for a return after being omitted from the XI in favor of Michael Neser, as Australia opted for an all-pace attack during the pink-ball match.

As a result, two of Scott Boland, Neser, and Brendon Doggett are likely to be excluded from the Adelaide fixture, providing Australia with some fresh pace options for the final two Tests.

Australia's squad for the third Test: 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