Karachi: Australia leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson will make his Test debut in the second match against Pakistan in Karachi, captain Pat Cummins said today.
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will sit out with 28-year-old Swepson joining Nathan Lyon in Australia’s two-man spin attack at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.
“He’s spent a lot of time running drinks over the last couple of years. He’s absolutely ready,” Cummins told a news conference.
“He’s been a huge part of the squad even though he hasn’t been playing, so we’re really excited to see him get a chance. The wicket here looks a little bit drier. Historically, it’s bit friendlier for the spinners. We think particularly a wristspinner of Swepo’s quality gives us a balance, give us the best opportunity to take 20 wickets.”
Swepson, who has played seven Twenty20 Internationals, was capable of playing the holding role to senior spin partner Lyon, Cummins said.
The Australia captain expected reverse swing to play a key role in Karachi, which is why Mitchell Starc was preferred to Hazlewood as Cummins’ fast bowling partner.
Australia’s first Test in Pakistan in 24 years ended in a run-feast in Rawalpindi earlier this week.
Australia’s top four got 50-plus scores but none could convert them into hundreds, while Pakistan had four centuries in their scorecard.
Second match
Cummins was hopeful his frontline batsmen would make amends in the second match of the three-Test series.
“We spoke about that after the game ... If you get yourself in, you’ve got to try and capitalise. They’ve been really working hard the last couple of days of training. I think this week it will provide a couple more questions and they’re out for it. So yeah, full of confidence.”
There was signs of that in the nets too where David Warner and Steve Smith created rough with their boots before facing bowlers indicating their preparedness for the match.
“They were trying to produce conditions they might face on day four, five,” Cummins said.
“I expect this wicket to break up a little bit more.”
