Adelaide Test! Cummo back, Gaz with a point to prove & Eng 'train too hard'!

Ahead of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, Steven O’Keefe and Moises Henriques reunite (with Henriques calling in from a park bench in Perth) to discuss Australia’s selection headaches and England’s unconventional preparation. With the series on the line, the stakes couldn't be higher.

Australia’s "Good" selection headaches

The big news for Australia is the return of captain Pat Cummins and "The GOAT," Nathan Lyon. O’Keefe and Henriques discuss the ripple effect of these inclusions. While Michael Neser and Michael Doggett are the likely ones to miss out, Henriques wonders if Australia might try to replicate their Gabba success by including Bo Webster to allow for a "keeper up" tactic. The biggest question remains Usman Khawaja’s fitness and where he fits in. O’Keefe advocates for Khawaja to return to the top, moving Travis Head back to No. 5, but Henriques is torn, noting the value of blooding younger players like Josh Inglis who performed well under pressure.

England’s "Noosa" retreat & training woes

England’s preparation has drawn criticism after coach Brendon McCullum suggested the team had been "training too hard." O’Keefe points out the irony, noting the team has played six days of Test cricket but spent 11 days training and nine days off. The team spent their break in Noosa, a move Henriques sees as England "leaning into the narrative" of having fun regardless of results. "Maybe they should stop training so hard and start playing a bit harder," Henriques quips, suggesting England needs to show more "fight" during the boring middle periods of a Test match rather than just the final 10 minutes.

Adapting "Bazball" for survival

The hosts believe England must adapt their batting order to survive in Adelaide. Both O’Keefe and Henriques suggest moving Ben Stokes up to No. 3 to act as an "anchor" and absorb pressure, potentially dropping Jamie Smith and giving the gloves back to Ollie Pope. "Adapt or lose the series. Simple as that," O’Keefe remarks. They also predict bowling changes, with Josh Tongue potentially replacing Brydon Carse to provide a different look on an Adelaide wicket that traditionally suits England's lower-bounce style.

Predictions for the Day/Night Test

Despite expecting a more even contest in Adelaide, both hosts predict an Australian victory. Henriques believes the Australian attack—led by a fresh Cummins and a "fired-up" Starc—will be too much for England’s batters to handle over five days. O’Keefe expects Nathan Lyon to play a defining role, hungry to prove a point after being sidelined for the second Test. Both agree that an Australian win here would effectively wrap up the series and leave England with few answers.

Watch the full episode on Fanatics TV.