Melbourne [Australia]: The spin pair of Ashton Agar and Steve O’Keefe has been named in the 13-man squad for the final dead-rubber Test of the three-match series against Pakistan beginning on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Agar and O’Keefe have been added alongside incumbent spinner Nathan Lyon, who was under pressure but gave his chances of being retained in the Australian side a much-needed boost after clinching three crucial wickets during Australia’s crushing win by an innings and 18 runs in the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG on Friday.
Agar, who played his last Test match during the 2013 Ashes series, has been named in the squad after his last-ball heroics in the Big Bash League (BBL) last night.
O’Keefe, on the other hand, has appeared in two Sheffield Shield matches this summer, taking a total of 11 wickets at an average of 19.91, cricket.com.au reported.
Hilton Cartwright has also been called in the squad. He will become Australia’s sixth debutant this summer, if he plays in Sydney .
Meanwhile, batsman Nic Maddinson and paceman Chadd Sayers have been left out of the squad for the third Test.
Agar and Cartwright are now seemingly in a two-way battle to try to replace Maddinson, who managed to notch up just 27 runs in his four Test innings.
The Australian Test squad is as follows:
Steve Smith (captain), David Warner (vice captain), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc and Matthew Wade (wicketkeeper).(ANI)