WTC Final, IND vs AUS: Boland pips Neser for spot in Playing XI at Oval clash, confirms Cummins

Australian captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Scott Boland has been chosen over Michael Neser for the last bowling position in Australia's playing XI for the WTC Final against India.

Scott Boland gets the nod to play his maiden Test in England as Australia announce the most likely Playing XI to take the field tomorrow. 

Australian captain Pat Cummins confirmed that Scott Boland has been chosen over Michael Neser for the last bowling position in Australia's playing XI. Boland has an impressive bowling average of 13.42 and has done brilliantly for Australia in the past in the absence of the front-line bowlers.

Cummins' statement that there would be "no surprises" in the selected XI for the one-off clash at The Oval indicates that Australia will maintain their usual balance of five batsmen, followed by all-rounder Cameron Green, wicketkeeper Alex Carey, three fast bowlers, and a spinner.

Australia Likely Playing XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Neser had been called into the Aussies' official 15-player squad for the ICC-run contest beginning Wednesday after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to injury but Boland's supreme record cultivated over seven Tests since his remarkable debut during the last Ashes series in 2021-22 will see him join Cummins, Green, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon in Australia's expected bowling attack.

Cummins admits that Boland is "very close" to being considered an equal to the 'big three' fast bowlers in the selection hierarchy, but rejected the idea of a "pecking order" being in place.

"We're big on kind of everyone bowling slightly differently," Cummins told reporters.

"Scott is a seam bowler on a good length, but he just offers something slightly different to Josh Hazlewood, and Starcy being a left-hander is bit different.

"So I don't think there's ever a pecking order. You think about the three guys that you want to go out and play."

Australia will mix and match their pace bowlers through the next few weeks where they will be only playing Test cricket.