Australia Playing XI: Pat Cummins to play two spinners – Australia cricket captain Pat Cummins has confirmed that leg spinner Mitchell Swepson will make his Test debut in the second match in Karachi. He will now bowl in tandem with off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Follow Pakistan vs Australia Test Series LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN
A Test debut for Mitchell Swepson! #PAKvAUS pic.twitter.com/PrvS43a4ZY
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) March 11, 2022
Australia Playing XI: Pat Cummins confirms Mitchell Swepson will make his Test Debut vs Pakistan- Follow PAK vs AUS LIVE updates
Who will join Nathan Lyon against Pakistan?
The tourists, however, are tempted to field a second spinner on a pitch where Cummins expects a decent turn even if not from the very first session.
“I don’t have an XI yet. We’re pretty sure but we just want to have another look at the wicket,” Cummins told a media conference on the eve of the match.
Australia Playing XI 1st Test: Usman Khawaja to open with David Warner,…
“We have got a fair idea of what we want to do but don’t want to make the call too early without fully knowing what the wicket is.”
It would be a toss-up between uncapped leggie Mitchell Swepson and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar should Australia pick a second slow bowler for the soldout contest.
“I think that they’re both great options,” Cummins said.
“Swepson is a leg-spinner, it’s a real luxury to have. He’s been bowling fantastically (in domestic cricket), he’s ready to go.
Australia Playing XI: Pat Cummins confirms Mitchell Swepson will make his Test Debut vs Pakistan- Follow PAK vs AUS LIVE updates
Australia Playing XI
- David Warner
- Usman Khawaja
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Steve Smith
- Travis Head
- Chris Green
- Alex Carey
- Pat Cummins
- Mitchell Starc
- Nathan Lyon
- Mitchell Swepson
Our Aussie men will now play for the Benaud-Qadir Trophy in all future men’s Test series against Pakistan 🏆 A fit… https://t.co/pPHFxFIQ9T
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) 1646206250000
Australia’s optional training session was cancelled on Thursday but Cummins was not overly worried about it.
Australia Playing XI: Pat Cummins confirms Mitchell Swepson will make his Test Debut vs Pakistan- Follow PAK vs AUS LIVE updates
“We had a good look at the wicket the last few days,” the 28-year-old, on his first overseas series in charge, said.
“It looks like a good wicket. Probably, as expected, not a heap of grass on it but enough to probably keep it together a little bit.”
Pakistan have lost fast bowler Hasan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf through injuries while seamer Haris Rauf will miss the match after testing positive for COVID-19.
Cummins would not underestimate his opponents though.
“In international cricket, you’ve got to have a squad to players. I’m sure that will be a big loss but it gives opportunities for other players to step up.”
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Renshaw
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
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