Cricket Australia has authorised key national players Beau Webster and Josh Inglis to leave the Australian dressing room ahead of the last game of the Ashes 2025-26 and join their respective teams to compete in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26. With only a week until the fifth and final Ashes match, both players have been allowed to participate in the annual T20 game.
The duo will each play one game in the BBL before reuniting with the Australian squad for the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in an exciting series finale.
Webster, who plays for the Hobart Hurricanes, will play at home on Monday, while Josh Inglis will play for the Perth Scorchers the following day.
“Webster will be available for the Hobart Hurricanes who play the Melbourne Renegades at Ninja Stadium in Hobart on Monday. Inglis will be available for the Perth Scorchers who play the Sydney Thunder at ENGIE Stadium on Tuesday. Both players will return to the Australian squad on New Year’s Eve to prepare for the Ashes Test at the SCG,” Cricket Australia confirmed via a release on Sunday.
Ahead of the fourth Test, Australia had also confirmed that the star bowlers Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon won’t be able to take part in the rest of the series for different reasons. Cummins is undergoing a workload management, whereas, Lyon has a hamstring pull which requires surgery, leaving him out of action for a prolonged period.
Australia expected squad for fifth Test: Steven Smith (captain), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Jake Weathrald, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Marnus Labuschagne, Beau Webster, Michael Neser, Cameron Green, Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Jhye Richardson, Brendan Doggett
India
