Australia have fielded 15 Test players since January 2020, and at least a few of them are likely to be unavailable for the Hobart Test if they do make it to the T20 World Cup final. From the squad named for their last Test series, Steve Smith, David Warner, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Moises Henriques are the ones likely to make the T20 World Cup set-up. Here’s a XI outside of these names that could play the one-off historic Test match.

Marcus Harris

Marcus Harris opened the batting against India in the Gabba Test and has been in really good form in the County Championship for Leicestershire, making scores of 185 and 148, before another hundred for Leicestershire second XI to complete a hat-trick of tons.

Will Pucovski

Pucovski batted just thrice in the recent Sheffield Shield season, scoring a double hundred and another hundred in two of them. The opener made his debut against India at the SCG and looked the part until he suffered a shoulder injury that ruled him out of the remainder of the domestic season. Should he recover in time, Pucovski will partner Harris.

Marnus Labuschagne

While Labuschagne has been amping up his T20 game with performances in the Big Bash League and T20 Blast, he is unlikely to make it to the T20 side for the World Cup. He would slot in at No.3 as usual, of course with more workload given that there’s no Steve Smith cushion behind him.

Usman Khawaja

Not long ago, Khawaja wasn’t part of the 37 players named by Australia for the tours of South Africa and New Zealand. However, few offer the stability and experience of Khawaja and picking him could actually help Australia make a final call on him ahead of the Ashes.

Travis Head

Two seasons ago, Head was Australia’s next big thing . He is now an uncertain starter in a full-strength side and could use the Afghanistan Test to push his Ashes case.

Cameron Green

With 922 runs, Green was the top-scorer in the 2020/21 Sheffield Shield. His talent is obvious to see, and as a long-term option in the middle-order, Australia would do well to give Green as many matches as possible in the Test outfit.

Tim Paine (c)

Every Test is an important for Tim Paine at this stage in his career, and if Australia are indeed without some of its most established starss, the priority for Paine would be to see them through the one-off Test with no blips, even if just to ensure the Barmy Army has no wound to rub salt into.

Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon’s T20 World Cup hopes hang by a thread, and it’s likely that Australia will prefer Adam Zampa, Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson as the spinning options. Lyon will likely remain with the Test side and play the Hobart Test.

James Pattinson

Having missed the summer Tests against India after a return to the fold in the 2019 Ashes, Pattinson, who had a decent Sheffield Shield season, will be eyeing a place in the XI for the Afghanistan Test.

Michael Neser

An impressive fast bowler with a sound domestic record, Neser has been around the Test squad for far too long without getting a chance, and his time could finally come in Hobart if the T20 men go through till the end.

Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood will lead the attack in the absence of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins and will look at the one-off Test as competitive preparation ahead of the Ashes.