Murphy, Swepson among those named in Australia’s 18-man squad for India

Australia’s 18-man squad that will travel to India next month in an attempt to win their first Test series in the country in 18 years and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was announced this morning with a heavy focus on spin perhaps the biggest takeaway.

The four-Test series begins on 9 February at VCA Stadium in Nagpur before the scene shifts to Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi and then HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala before the final Test of the series at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Australia named four full-time spinners in their 18-man squad including veteran Nathan Lyon, left-armer Ashton Agar, leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, and Victorian bolter Todd Murphy.

Murphy – who had appeared in just a single first-class match prior to this season – is the only uncapped player of the four but has enjoyed a breakout Sheffield Shield season taking 14 wickets at 17.71 and has been successful in stints with Australia A and the Prime Minister’s XI over the past year.

Agar was recalled to the Test team last week in Sydney for the first time in nearly six years but bowled just a total of 22 overs and finished with combined figures of 0-for-58 on what proved to be a rather spin-unfriendly pitch.

Swepson – who out-jostled white ball star Adam Zampa to make the squad – made his Test debut in Pakistan last March before playing a part in Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka later in the year; in four matches, he took 10 wickets at 45.80.

With Mitchell Starc set to miss the series opener in Nagpur due to tendon damage in his finger, Australia are expected to lean on one of Murphy, Agar, or Swepson to partner Lyon on a pitch that is expected to favour spin bowling.

Skipper Pat Cummins leads the legions of quicks who will undoubtedly play a role despite the spin-friendly conditions generally associated with the subcontinent.

Flanking him in the squad is Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Lance Morris.

Morris – the Sheffield Shield’s leading wicket-taker this season – and Murphy are the only two uncapped players in the squad and will both push for their maiden baggy greens as the series progresses.

Cameron Green, who will be racing the clock to prove his fitness for the Nagpur Test after fracturing his finger in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa, has also been named in the squad.

Matt Renshaw was elevated into the team for the Sydney Test in place of Green and will likely come into consideration again should the Western Australian allrounder be ruled out.

Australia’s top five of Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head is virtually settled with Peter Handscomb – who picked up a hip injury earlier in the week whilst playing club cricket – named as batting and wicketkeeping cover.

Alex Carey is the only full-time wicketkeeper that has been named whilst Marcus Harris has been omitted after spending much of the past year a part of the squad.

Australia’s 18-man Border-Gavaskar squad:

• Pat Cummins (c)
• Ashton Agar
• Scott Boland
• Alex Carey
• Cameron Green
• Peter Handscomb
• Josh Hazlewood
• Travis Head
• Usman Khawaja
• Marnus Labuschagne
• Nathan Lyon
• Lance Morris
• Todd Murphy
• Matt Renshaw
• Steve Smith (vc)
• Mitchell Starc
• Mitchell Swepson
• David Warner