Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

CricketNathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly named in Australia Test squad to tour...

Nathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly named in Australia Test squad to tour Sri Lanka | Australia cricket team

Nathan McSweeney is back in Australia’s Test squad and Cooper Connolly will join him, after selectors left Mitch Marsh out of the touring group for Sri Lanka. Australia confirmed their 16-man group on Thursday, which will be captained by Steve Smith with Pat Cummins staying home for the birth of his second child.

McSweeney and Connolly headline the group, which also includes Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann as second and third spinners alongside Nathan Lyon. Josh Hazlewood is missing as Australia prolong his return from a calf injury, while Glenn Maxwell’s Test career is seemingly over after he was left out.

Peter Handscomb has also missed out despite having a strong record against spin and stunning first-class numbers in 2024, with Josh Inglis the other back-up batter.

“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions the players may experience,” chief selector George Bailey said. “This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets they may encounter in each match.

“We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the squad members who are at the start of their Test careers to continue to grow their games in subcontinent conditions where we have a number of important tours in coming years.”

Australia’s squad means there are several ways which selectors can go for the first Test in Galle on January 29. There is every possibility they will stick with the same top seven that played in Sydney last week, with Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas opening the batting.

But Travis Head has had previous success at the top, including on Australia’s most recent tour of India in 2023. If Head does move up it would open up a spot for Inglis, McSweeney or Connolly to come into the team.

McSweeney opened on his first foray into Test cricket this summer but was dropped for Boxing Day after scoring 72 runs at an average of 14.4 in his first three matches. His future will likely be in the middle order, given he had never previously opened in the Sheffield Shield before his Test selection this summer.

The 25-year-old has found a home batting at No.3 for South Australia this summer – averaging 97 – but has previously batted further down.

Connolly’s selection is also notable, given the 21-year-old can act as spin-bowling allrounder and is seen as one of the brightest young players in the country.

skip past newsletter promotion

With Cummins absent and also battling ankle soreness, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Sean Abbott are the only three quicks named in the squad for Sri Lanka. There is a possibility only one of those will play in the XI, if Australia opt to play three frontline spinners in Lyon, Kuhnemann and Murphy.

Australia’s 3-1 victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy means they have already qualified for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.

But the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy is still on the line in the two Tests, with Australia aiming to retain their status of holding every bilateral Test trophy available to them.

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

Source link

Subscribe Today

GET EXCLUSIVE FULL ACCESS TO PREMIUM CONTENT

SUPPORT NONPROFIT JOURNALISM

EXPERT ANALYSIS OF AND EMERGING TRENDS IN CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE

TOPICAL VIDEO WEBINARS

Get unlimited access to our EXCLUSIVE Content and our archive of subscriber stories.

Exclusive content

Latest article

More article