AUS vs SL: Ashton Agar, Australia’s spin bowler, will miss the final match of their tour of Sri Lanka after failing to recuperate from a side strain.
Jon Holland, who is currently recovering from his own injury, has been formally added to the team after medical personnel confirmed Agar would not be eligible for the second Test in Galle on Friday. It’s the latest setback for the West Australian, who missed Australia’s tour of Pakistan earlier this year after catching COVID-19 during the white-ball leg.
Jon Holland picked as the replacement of Ashton Agar
He appeared to have a great opportunity to play alongside Nathan Lyon in the Tests against Sri Lanka, but his injury ensured Mitchell Swepson kept his spot in Australia’s 10-wicket triumph this week. Holland could be in contention for the second Test, but Swepson got five wickets and, despite bowling at over four-and-a-half runs per over, earned praise from skipper Pat Cummins for his performance.
Although most probably Mitchell Swepson will retain his place as it is unlikely that Pat Cummins will change the winning combination.
Swepson dismissed all but one of Sri Lanka’s top-order batters, and he shattered the middle order when he dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal in consecutive deliveries when the surface was at its finest on the first day.
“Really happy with Swepo,” Cummins said on Friday after the Aussies’ rapid win inside three days. “A couple of key breakthroughs in the first innings and then today, top-order wickets.
“Really valuable, I thought he controlled the tempo of the game, he had some batters come really hard at him. I thought he bowled beautifully.”
Another alternative for Australia in the second Test would be to have three spinners in Lyon, Swepson, and Holland, with only one specialist fast bowler.
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