Axe swings, three debutants as Aussie Test squad announced

Former Australian captain Aaron Finch has declared the Test career of reigning Allan Border medallist Mitch Marsh is all over amid the emergence of SCG hero Beau Webster as selectors stuck with opening phenom Sam Konstas for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka.

The development follows a disastrous series against India that yielded just 73 runs in four Tests, with five single-figure scores and Marsh has also been given time away from the Perth Scorchers after making a duck in his his first BBL game for three years on Tuesday with his return to be be determined.

While another batter dumped during Australia’s successful series against India, Nathan McSweeney, was recalled to new-look 16-player squad for the matches in the coastal city of Galle with young gun Cooper Connolly, 21, included.

Despite speculation he could tour veteran batter Peter Handscomb is not in the squad, nor is Glenn Maxwell or white-ball spinner Adam Zampa with their test papers, along with Marsh appearing to be stamped for good.

Sean Abbott, Josh Inglis and Connolly will be the only uncapped players in the squad, with pace stalwart Josh Hazlewood also left out as he continues overcome a calf injury.

Mitch Starc and Scott BOland, who has moved in to ninth on the Test bowling rankings, loom as the frontline quicks.

“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions players may be presented with. This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets we 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.”

But less than 12 months after being crowned Australia’s best cricketer, Marsh remains out on the outer, his future clouded, after being replaced by Webster for the final Test against India.

Webster belted the winning runs in his first Test in Sydney, having made a first-innings half-century, and with injured star Cameron Green also giving a positive update after back surgery ruled him out for the summer, getting back to running with a session at the WACA, leaving little room for 33-year-old Marsh.

The development follows a disastrous series against India that yielded just 73 runs in four Tests, with five single-figure scores and he’s also been “rested” after making a duck in his his first BBL game for three years for the Perth Scorchers on Tuesday.

“I think it’ll be really difficult for Mitch to get back into the side now,” Finch said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show.

“There is not a huge amount of cricket left in this summer to force a case, with Cameron Green coming back in early March. For me, it’ll be unlikely (he ever plays again).”

Marsh’s cause wasn’t helped by making a duck on his return to the BBL earlier this week, and his exit comes with more changes expected to an ageing group despite its growing list of successes.

Spin star Nathan Lyon will again lead the charge in Sri Lanka but will have understudies in Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann sure to keep the 37-year-old, who took just nine wickets across five Tests against India, on his toes.

Connolly, who had his T20 and ODI debuts for Australia during last year’s tour of England and Scotland, gives selectors another batting and bowling option with his left-arm spin, although he would need to leapfrog several players to be handed a baggy green.

Connolly’s inclusion as a spinning all-rounder ends the hopes of Glenn Maxwell, who had held out hope of playing a similar role.

Steve Smith will captain the team, with skipper Pat Cummins having already confirmed he expects to stay at home for the birth of his second child.

The first Test is set to begin in Galle on January 29.

Chairman of Selectors George Bailey said: “Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions players may be presented with. This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets we 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.”

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD

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