Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has been drafted into Australia’s Test squad, winning the race to be Nathan Lyon’s potential spin sidekick at the SCG.
National selectors have named a 14-man squad for the fifth Ashes Test that starts on January 4, recalling Agar.
Mitchell Starc, who will be racing the clock to prove his fitness for the series finale, and Peter Handscomb, who was dropped for the third Test, have retained their spots.
Australia’s XI for the dead rubber is far from settled. Starc remains bothered by his bruised heel but is confident he will be right to play.
Agar is no certainty to play his first Test on home soil but selectors will likely add the 24-year-old to their XI if the SCG pitch is spin friendly.
Agar, who scored 98 batting at No.11 during a memorable Test debut at Trent Bridge in 2013, suffered a broken finger during Australia’s limited-overs tour of India in September.
He returned from the injury earlier this month during a Sheffield Shield clash at the MCG and has since played three Big Bash League fixtures for Perth.
After batting first drop during Perth’s last-start win over Melbourne Renegades, he has spoken of his desire to become a genuine allrounder.
Mitch Marsh has indicated he is ready to step up and bowl more overs of his medium pace in Sydney should Agar replace fast bowler Jackson Bird in the side.
Agar was selected ahead of uncapped legspinner Mitchell Swepson, who toured both India and Bangladesh this year with the Test squad but didn’t debut, plus fellow left-arm tweakers Steve O’Keefe and Jon Holland.
O’Keefe played the past two SCG Tests.
He also represented Australia in five Tests on the subcontinent this year, memorably spinning the tourists to their first win in India since 2004 when he snared match figures of 12-70 in Pune.
It was the greatest haul by a visiting spinner in India but selectors have since made no secret of their desire to look to the future.
O’Keefe was left out of the touring party for Bangladesh earlier this year then belatedly called up for the second Test following Josh Hazlewood’s side strain.
O’Keefe’s Test career now appears over.
Australia snapped a nine-Test losing streak in Asia in Pune but Steve Smith’s hunt for his first series win in the region is yet to end.
Australia’s next assignment in Asia is expected to come in 2018, when they’re due to play a Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
Don Freo
Guest
Nothing 'silly' there, John. I did say, "Add to that..." not "...only on the basis of..." If you want someone to keep it tight and challenge batsmen in Sydney, how a spinner bowls when every batsman is targetting him is a great indicator. That's Agar's edge. His FC cricket, however, is what got him picked.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Come on, Don, The gap between BBL and 5 day cricket is too wide to use economy rates an d batting averages in a T20 series as a guide for test selection. I know you love your WA players, but that's a long bow, even for you. Let Agar's return to Shield, albeit only one match, on the back of his performances in Bangladesh, justify his spot, because they do and then you don't look silly.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Needs to look more like Warnie?
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
How about selecting on Test form? Agar bowled well in Bangladesh, taking 7 wickets at 23, and also batted impressively, his 41no was a really good knock in very difficult circumstances.
Don Freo
Guest
Well Larry, I'll put it out there too...that is strange. Why would our most promising leggie, Swepson, play only as a batsman in grade cricket? He needs bowling at Shield level. Next you'll want Steve Smith to give up batting to hone his wicket keeping in grade cricket.
Don Freo
Guest
Add to that Agar's superior economy rate in BBL (the only current comp) and a batting average in BBL7 of 47, combine it with his elite fielding compared to SOK's run of the mill stuff in the field, you have only Swepson who is very expensive.
Larry1950
Guest
Well I'll put it out there, why doesn't this courageous selection panel bite the bullet and recall Matt Renshaw to the squad, if only for the opportunity to get around the senior players & have time in the nets. Surely he hasn't been discarded at this stage of his career, Bancroft hasn't done what he did as a rookie, despite all the plaudits. I think he has to go to South Africa as a logical batting option, it's only a matter of time before he finds that form that made him invaluable last year & the guy can catch in slips. Our aging team needs that next tier coming through & Renshaw is not a serial test failure, despite his shield hiccups. Swepson needs to spend a season doing what Cummins did in grade cricket, playing purely as a batsman, if he can reach the standards Cummins has shown, he'd be a lock for any spin friendly matches. Border was correct when he said the eleven that played at the MCG had 3 number 11 bats, not something we can afford at the moment, hence Agar's selection for Sydney. We need one of the top batsmen to do what Malan did bowling for the poms, no world beater but threatening. Maybe that's where Renshaw will come in handy after a season with the Heat under a world class spinner as coach. Too many of our younger players neglect development of complementary bowling skills to their batting.
Don Freo
Guest
Fawad and Holland are anachronisms for modern test cricket. You can't bat and field like they do and hope to play for Australia. SOK has played only one more game than Agar this year and is in no form while Agar has hit the ground running.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
No-one has played Shield on the SCG since March.O'Keefe has taken four wickets this Shield season at 60.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
They seem to have a thing for bowlers who can bat unless there is a chasm between the two options.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Khawaja could help himself by looking like he has a score in him. Sadly, he has been well below his best this summer in the tests and has left himself open for yet another dropping.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Exactly. Number of games played was the only area I could find where Agar wasn't ahead of the others mentioned.
Big Daddy
Guest
If the current selectors thinking is horses for courses then okeefe is a shoe in. But we know they have a thing for player's from the west.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I realise AA is only a maybe depending on the pitch but when was the last time Sydney spun? Or are the afraid of a Melbournesque pitch? Classic selector move having 7 bats in the squad. Rarely goes well for U T Khawaja.
Mike from tari
Guest
Ashes won, SCG test, Australia looking for a leggie for future, Swepson should be given a go.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
Form and overall record. If you're looking for a left arm finger spinner Holland is clearly the best in the country with a great record. If youth is your policy Swepson is clearly the choice with a much better record than Agar and a clearly superior wicket taking ability (compare strike rates of 49 to 75) and a lower average as well. Agar has a better economy rate than Swepson but with Lyon at the peak of his powers I think we should go for the jugular and attack rather than pick a guy who is going to hold up an end. Now that Agar is picked I hope he takes 5 for and makes some lower order runs too, he seems like a great young player, I would have gone in a different direction, but what would I know I've disagreed with the selectors all summer and they have the magic touch at the moment.
JGK
Roar Guru
Surely Cummins might get a rest?
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Swepson and Holland ,certainly.O'Keefe has four at 60.I would have Holland before Agar,same left-arm orthodox but more wickets under his belt. The selectors may feel that Swepson will suffer like most other legspinners not familiar with the SCG. Bob Holland, Benaud and McGill thrived there and Warne picked up a 12fer and a 10fer there. Swepson is still green.Crane,if the English pick him,will get hammered as well
Don Freo
Guest
4 wickets per innings...Agar wins.
mattyb
Guest
Great comment Don and that explains the armchairs,they don't like to talk constructively,they just kinda say stuff then forget and say more again. The selectors have been very good,this needs acknowledgement,how good was Marsh again today for example?