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| Venue: Blundstone Arena, Hobart Date: 14-18 January Time: 04:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Daily highlights show on BBC iPlayer from 18:00 GMT, ball-by-ball commentary on Test Match Special, plus live text commentary, UK-only clips, features and analysis on the BBC Sport website and app |
Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow could play as specialist batters in the final Ashes Test because of injuries, says England captain Joe Root.
Stokes picked up a side strain while bowling early in the fourth Test, and Bairstow was hit on the hand during his first-innings century.
Both batted on the final day in Sydney, to help England earn a draw and avoid a 5-0 series defeat.
“We’ve got to just see where they’re at,” said Root.
“We have to see what their bodies can handle and then assess everyone.
“You certainly can pick Ben just as a bat and similarly Jonny as well – he’s been playing as a batter anyway.”
England will have to make at one least change for the day-night Test, which starts at 04:00 GMT on Friday in Hobart, after Jos Buttler flew home with a broken finger.
Sam Billings, who joined the squad from playing in Australia’s Big Bash League, was seen working hard on his wicketkeeping during Wednesday’s practice and the 30-year-old is in contention to make his Test debut.
“He’s got a very good understanding of the country,” said Root.
“As always, when he’s around the group, he brings a lot of energy and is constantly smiling – he loves his cricket.
“If he gets his opportunity he’ll put everything into it.”
‘We must harness last-day performance’
England batted for 91 overs on the final day of the fourth Test in Sydney, with last-wicket pair Stuart Broad and James Anderson seeing out the final 12 balls to earn a draw.
Root says his side have to “harness” that performance and take it forward.
“If you look at the week that we had – whether it be Covid leading into the game, a couple of injuries that we had to manage throughout the game as well – it shows a lot about where we’re at as a team,” said Root.
“It was on the back of three very difficult games where we’ve underperformed and not shown the best of our skills so we showed great amount of character, and it is definitely something for us to build on moving forward.
“The desire, the fight and the pride that everyone showed out there, and that last day in particular, is something that we have to harness and we have to play with more frequently throughout five days.
“We’ve proven to ourselves that we can do that now.”
‘I won’t be asking for a rest’
Australia have fitness concerns of their own, with bowlers Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland – who has taken 14-121 in the past two Tests – set to be assessed.
Starc, who is the only pace bowler on either side to play in the four Tests so far and is the leading wicket-taker in day-night Tests with 52 scalps, says he is “not looking for a break”.
“It’s purely up to the selectors,” said Starc, when asked whether he was carrying any niggles or soreness.
“I’m feeling good. Hopefully it’s not my turn to rest… I’d very much like to play. I won’t be asking for a rest.”
Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser, who both impressed in the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval, are in Australia’s squad should Boland or Starc be ruled out.
Australia, who lead the five-Test series 3-0, also have decisions to make about their batting line-up. Travis Head is able to return after missing the fourth Test with Covid, but his replacement Usman Khawaja made twin centuries at the SCG.
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