Australia captain Pat Cummins has announced that fast bowler Scott Boland will be included in the playing XI for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, set to begin at The Oval on Wednesday.

Following Josh Hazlewood’s withdrawal from the one-off match due to a side strain and Achilles issue, Australia added Michael Neser to their 15-man squad. However, Cummins revealed that Boland’s selection as the third pacer, alongside Cummins himself and Mitchell Starc, was not surprising given the unique qualities the Victorian brings to the team.

“We value having bowlers who offer different styles,” Cummins stated during a press conference on the eve of the match. “Scotty is a seam bowler who hits a good length, but he provides a slightly different dynamic compared to Joshy Hazlewood, and Starcy being a left-hander adds another dimension.”

According to Cummins, there is no strict pecking order among the bowlers. “You think about the three guys that you want to go out and play,” he added.

This will be Boland’s first Test appearance in England. Although he gained experience in English conditions during a tour with an Indigenous cricket team in 2018, Cummins expressed confidence that Boland wouldn’t need to make significant adjustments to his bowling approach in order to succeed.

“With the ball swinging and seaming more in England, some players tend to focus too much on taking wickets every ball,” Cummins explained. “But for someone like Scotty, it’s a simple game plan – hit your areas consistently and stay disciplined throughout the day. Hopefully, the ball will do the work for him.”

Australia’s formidable bowling attack will be completed by seam-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green and off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Cummins acknowledged the need to manage Green’s workload carefully, particularly as the all-rounder transitions formats after his recent stint in the Indian Premier League’s T20 format.

“Greeny is fit and available, but it’s not in our best interest to overburden him and make him bowl 40 overs in a game,” Cummins emphasized. “We have this conversation before every test match, and so far, he hasn’t been pushed to his limits.”