Melbourne, January 9 : Australia has announced its squad for the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka. For the first time, Cooper Conolly has been included in the Test squad, while Nathan MacSweeney makes his return. Sam Constas and Beau Webster have also been added to the team after impressive starts to their careers.
The team will feature left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann and off-spinner Todd Murphy, who, alongside Nathan Lyon, will form the core of Australia’s spin department.
The two Test matches will be played in Galle, where conditions are expected to be conducive to spin bowling.
However, Mitchell Marsh’s Test career now seems uncertain as he was omitted from the squad following his exclusion from the final Test against India. His absence from the Sri Lanka tour follows the suspension of his career after the India series.
With Pat Cummins on paternity leave and recovering from an ankle injury, Steve Smith will captain the team. Josh Hazlewood, who had to cut short his participation in the India series due to a calf injury, has been left out as he focuses on preparing for the Champions Trophy.
George Bailey, the chairman of selectors, said via Cricket Australia (CA), “Sri Lanka presents a challenging and exciting opportunity, as players may face varying conditions. This squad offers several ways to structure the playing XI based on the wickets faced in each match. We are excited for the team members who are at the beginning of their Test careers, as they continue to evolve their games in the subcontinent, where we have many important tours in the years ahead.”
MacSweeney was dropped from the team after the third Test against India. Conolly, a 21-year-old left-arm spinner from Western Australia, will provide another all-round option for the team in two Tests.
Australian Squad for Sri Lanka Test Tour:
- Steven Smith (captain)
- Sean Abbott
- Scott Boland
- Alex Carey
- Cooper Conolly
- Travis Head
- Josh Inglis
- Usman Khawaja
- Sam Constas
- Matt Kuhnemann
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Nathan Lyon
- Nathan MacSweeney
- Todd Murphy
- Mitchell Starc
- Beau Webster
Australia’s preparations for the Sri Lanka Test tour are well underway, and the team will be eager to take on the challenges presented by the subcontinent’s conditions.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.