Colombo: All-rounder Glenn Maxwell on Thursday was added to the Australia Test squad in Sri Lanka as an additional option after Travis Head suffered a minor hamstring injury.
Maxwell last played a Test match in September 2017, against Bangladesh in Chattogram. His inclusion comes in lieu of the injury suffered by Head, who will miss the final ODI against Sri Lanka after suffering a minor hamstring injury while fielding.
Maxwell’s inclusion comes after his impactful performances in the ODI series alongside his abilities to bat well against spin. The all-rounder can also chip in with some handy overs with his off-spin, a skillset which will certainly come in handy on the turning track in Galle. Overall, Maxwell has played 7 Tests, scoring 339 runs with 1 century to his name.
The 33-year old Maxwell hasn’t played a Test for almost five years, but newly-appointed Australia coach Andrew McDonald recently indicated that the talented 33-year-old could make a return to five-day cricket.
“You never know what is going to happen. He (Maxwell) has got a great record in the sub-continent, and in India in particular with that hundred in Ranchi and he can also give us off-spin,” McDonald said on Melbourne radio station SEN last month.
The first Test of the two-match series will get underway on June 29 in Galle, with crucial World Test Championship points at stake. Australia currently occupy the top spot on the table while Sri Lanka are fourth.
Australian Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell.
