IND vs AUS: Australia call up left arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann to replace Mitchell Swepson
Australia have called up left arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann to replace Mitchell Swepson in their squad for the remaining three Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test matches against India.
Swepson will be travelling home for the birth of his first child with fiancée, Jess while his Queensland teammate Kuhnemann might be in the team for the second Test which will be starting in Delhi on February 17, giving the visitors a second left-arm spin option along with Ashton Agar.
Meanwhile, Australia are hoping that allrounder Cameron Green is fit for the second Test and can slot in alongside Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy as the 3rd spinner.
JUST IN: Australia has pulled the trigger on a change to the squad for the second Test with left-armer Matt Kuhnemann heading over @LouisDBCameron | #INDvAUS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 12, 2023
Green damaged his right index finger during the Boxing Day test win over South Africa in Melbourne and was only given clearance to return to training his doctor on February 6 following surgery.
Australia are also likely to be without the service of Mitchell Starc who is dealing with a finger injury of his own.
Batter Matthew Renshaw hurt his knee in the warm-up before the play on day two of the 1st Test and there’s a big question mark on his availability for the Delhi Test which relatively weakens the middle order if Green is not declared fit to play as Renshaw’s replacement.
In the 1st Test, Ravichandran Ashwin tore through Australia to set up India’s comprehensive victory an innings and 132 runs inside three days on Saturday.
Australia had been on the back foot since posting a below-par 177 on a treacherous track at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium where the ball kept low and spun unpredictably.
Rohit Sharma mastered those conditions to hit a majestic 120 and all-rounders Axar Patel (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (70) proved while the pitch was difficult, it was certainly not unplayable.