Paceman Scott Boland has been recalled to Australia’s team and allrounder Mitch Marsh is clear to bowl in the second Test against India.
Australia captain Pat Cummins has confirmed Boland’s inclusion for his first Test since July last year, replacing Josh Hazlewood who is out because of a side strain.
While Boland will relish another opportunity to wear the baggy green his return to the Test XI may be short-lived, with Cummins telling media Hazlewood is in contention for the third Test at the Gabba.
“Pretty confident for Brisbane,” Cummins said on Thursday of Hazlewood’s prospects.
“He had a good bowl yesterday, only three-quarters (pace), maybe a bit more than that, but went beautifully.”
A sore Hazlewood was shielded late in Australia’s 295-run loss to India in the series opener in Perth.
“It’s probably the right call in hindsight,” Cummins said.
“In previous years we just kept bowling him and it has probably turned that one-week injury into a three-, four-, five-week injury, whereas this year seems a little bit different.”
Marsh will play in the second Test, and is available to bowl, despite suffering soreness in the aftermath of Australia’s horror showing at Optus Stadium.
Cummins expects Marsh will be called on to bowl at some stage during the second Test starting Friday in Adelaide.
But the Australian captain dismissed the notion of added pressure on his team after the crushing defeat in Perth.
“Any Test match there is pressure,” Cummins told reporters on Thursday.
“When you’re down there’s a little bit more but we have been in similar situations in World Cups or other series … we know we weren’t at our best last week, we have got a few things to work on.
“Everyone has got a lot of personal pride.”
Marsh hasn’t bowled in the lead-up to pink ball day-night Test in the South Australian capital.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The reigning Allan Border medallist only batted during Australia’s main training session at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
After his first stint batting, Marsh sat down on an esky for about 20 minutes before going inside.
Marsh then came back out 40 minutes later to have another bat before the end of Australia’s session.
The 33-year-old has been under an injury cloud since sending down more overs than Australia were expecting in Perth when India piled on second-innings runs.
Despite calling up in-form Tasmania allrounder Beau Webster to the squad, Australia have backed Marsh who bowled 17 overs in Perth – his heaviest workload in any Test since 2019.
Cummins said the expected movement of the pink ball in the day-night fixture would suit Boland.
“There’s normally a little bit of nip which suits Scotty quite well … as a captain, it’s pretty awesome to have Scotty come straight in,” he said.
Australia Second Test XI
Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
© AAP
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