NEW DELHI: Right-arm quick Jhye Richardson is likely to be included in the XI for the Boxing Day Test of the Ashes series after recovering from shoulder surgery.

After undergoing surgery in January, Richardson returned to cricket with his club, Fremantle, last month. He also spent time with the Test squad ahead of the Ashes opener in Perth, before playing for a Cricket Australia XI and Australia A against England Lions.

Richardson got a golden chance to push his claims for a Test recall after taking 4-35 against the England Lions, as he was called in to bowl with Australia's Test attack ahead of the third Ashes Test.

With skipper Pat Cummins expected to sit out the Melbourne Test, and potentially the rest of the series, this will open the vacancy in the pace attack, meaning Richardson is very close to being in consideration.

The fact that Richardson has been called into camp to bowl in front of the coaching staff shows he remains very much in Australia's plans, despite playing his last Test in December 2022.

Moreover, with veteran spinner Nathan Lyon being ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury, Australia will need to figure out a replacement for the veteran of 141 Tests.

Todd Murphy is likely the frontrunner to replace Lyon in the squad, with Corey Rocchiccioli, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitch Swepson and Cooper Connolly also in the fray.

Murphy is likely the frontrunner to replace Lyon in the squad. He was selected for his Test debut at 22 during Australia's Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour of India in 2023. He took a stunning 7-124 on debut and dismissed Virat Kohli four times throughout the series.

Murphy was called in as Lyon's injury replacement during the 2023 Ashes and returned to the Test team against Sri Lanka in January this year, taking one wicket in Australia's innings victory.