Sports · Cricket · 3 hrs ago
Khawaja urges Australia to consider Kuhnemann for final South Africa Test
Australia is preparing for the final Test against South Africa in Cape Town after the teams split the first two matches.
Usman Khawaja has urged selectors to consider left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann for the deciding match.
Australia left veteran spinner Nathan Lyon out of the second Test, choosing fast bowler Scott Boland instead, and played without a frontline spinner.
Boland took five wickets, but Australia lost the match by an innings.
Kuhnemann has played five Tests and took 16 wickets in a two-match series in Sri Lanka in February 2025.
Khawaja says Kuhnemann could suit a South African team with many right-handed batters, though both Lyon and Kuhnemann are unlikely to play together.
A cricket columnist also argued that dropping Lyon was a mistake, while selectors must decide how to shape the bowling and batting line-ups for Tuesday’s match.
Usman Khawaja urged Australia’s selectors to consider left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann for the third and final Test against South Africa.
Khawaja said Kuhnemann could be effective against a South African team with many right-handed batters.
Australia dropped Nathan Lyon for Scott Boland in the second Test and played without a frontline spinner.
Boland took five wickets in the match, but Australia lost by an innings.
The final Test is scheduled for Tuesday in Cape Town.
- Who
- Usman Khawaja urged selectors to consider Matt Kuhnemann.
- What
- Khawaja called for Kuhnemann to enter the selection debate for Australia’s final Test against South Africa.
- When
- Ahead of the third Test, scheduled for Tuesday.
- Where
- Cape Town, South Africa.
- Why
- Khawaja said Kuhnemann’s left-arm spin could suit a South African team with many right-handed batters.
Usman Khawaja
SMH cricket columnist
Spinner selection
Usman Khawaja
Khawaja said Kuhnemann deserved consideration for the final Test, pointing to South Africa’s many right-handed batters.
SMH cricket columnist
The SMH columnist said dropping Nathan Lyon for the second Test was an error of judgment and argued Australia needed Lyon’s bowling.
Kuhnemann took 5/16 in his second Test match.
Kuhnemann took 16 wickets across a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Australia left Nathan Lyon out and selected Scott Boland, who took five wickets; South Africa won by an innings.
Khawaja urged selectors to consider Kuhnemann for the match in Cape Town.
- Final Test
- Third match of the series, scheduled for Tuesday in Cape Town
- Kuhnemann
- Left-arm orthodox spinner with five Test appearances for Australia
- Kuhnemann’s last Test series
- Sri Lanka, February 2025; 16 wickets in two matches
- Lyon
- 573 Test wickets, according to the SMH article
- Boland
- Took his third five-wicket haul at Test level in the second Test
3 sources
What people are saying
Kuhnemann is a terrific bowler, a Test bowler.
With the South Africans having the majority of their players as right-handers, I’m not really sure why people aren’t bringing him into contention.
I think Kuhnemann deserves to be talked about.