Social media erupted last night with the inclusion of Ashton Agar to the Australian squad for the final Test against India.
Names such as Cameron Boyce, Adam Zampa and Steve O’Keefe were thrown around, with many unsure how Agar – who has an average of 44 in first-class cricket – deserves to be picked.
Ashton Agar’s name first entered the spotlight 18 months ago when he made 98 on debut in the First Ashes Test in England. Since his return to Western Australia he has started the season slowly, with 130 runs at an average of 26 batting at number seven and just 7 wickets at an average 45.1 in his four games.
Agar however has had injury issues during the winter, unable to take part in the National Performance Squad matches in Darwin with a knee injury.
With Agar suffering some tendon damage to his left knee following a net session it left him unable to bowl and train, putting him behind his teammates during the preseason and leading into the 2014-15 Sheffield Shield competition.
As unimpressive as Agar’s record is in the Sheffield Shield this season, his main rivals too have struggled. Boyce and Zampa have been suggested as possible inclusions early in the summer, however Boyce has taken 8 wickets at an average of 35.3 and Zampa has taken 9 wickets at an average of 46.7.
Neither have a solid record in 2014 and with the possibility of nerves and erratic bowling on debut, Agar is likely to be included in order to keep the pressure on the Indian batsmen who have scored freely in this series.
Steve O’Keefe was the last Australian spinner to debut and is currently injured, hence why Australia has chosen Agar. Not to mention the out-of-form Glenn Maxwell, who could do with more Big Bash League games before a likely World Cup call up.
Ricky Ponting is a big believer in Agar, recently saying that Agar could be a smokey for the World Cup in February. Agar is a great fielder and after Australia’s struggles in the field, Agar may add another dimension to the fielding.
With Shane Watson struggling and Joe Burns’ average debut, Agar could slot in at number six, or possibly even seven with Brad Haddin moving up to six, helping Australia’s lower order to combat the spin of Ravichandran Ashwin on a likely turner at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris firing with the bat, Australia believe they can take the risk and play two spinners without reducing their overall batting class.
Agar’s inclusion to the squad is likely to cause a stir, but with his all-round game Agar could impact the dead rubber at the SCG, should the pitch suit Australia to play an extra spinner.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
This series’ twelfth and final team has a distinct West Indian flavour at the top of the order, and a domineering captain.
Mitch Marsh has been appointed as Australia's men's Twenty20 captain, set to lead a squad to the World Cup that does not include Steve…
Australia are set to turn their back on rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk’s whirlwind IPL form and drop Steve Smith in their T20 World Cup…
It seems franchise cricket has forgotten about the great battle between bat and ball. In fact, this season in the IPL there is no battle at all.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
Test great Steve Smith is to play for Washington Freedom in the second season of Major League Cricket as the Australian influence in the…
