The Pat Cummins-led team has been pushed by former Australia captain Mark Taylor to utilise five bowlers in the next Sydney Test match against South Africa as a warm-up for the impending February-March trip of India.
Australia has called up Matthew Renshaw and Ashton Agar in lieu of injured players Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green, who both suffered finger injuries during Australia's innings-and-182-run victory at the MCG. Ashton Agar is likely to combine with star off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
With the hosts already having a 2-0 advantage going into the championship game? Australia, who is currently leading the World Test Championship, has a rare opportunity to consider their choices before travelling India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the last test of the series in Sydney.
"?They've got an opportunity in Sydney to try a few things. I know people say you shouldn't try things in Test matches, but with Cameron Green not playing, I'd really like to see Alex Carey bat at six and Australia pick five bowlers."
"They can go all out attack with the ball and rely on their top five and Carey to make enough runs to win the Test match," Taylor was quoted as saying by Wide World of Sports.
While teams have traditionally opted against playing five bowlers at the SCG, Taylor remarked the fragile nature of South Africa's batting lineup should encourage the move to play five bowlers.
"?I think with the bowling they've got there, with whoever those quicks are going to be, you've got enough guys there to take the 20 wickets. South Africa only just made 200 in the final innings in Melbourne for the first time in four Test matches, their batting is very gettable at the moment."
"So I'd be looking to attack with the ball and back yourselves in to make enough runs with only five specialist batters," he concluded.