Colombo: All-rounder Glenn Maxwell was on Thursday included in 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 against Bangladesh in September 2017 at Chattogram. He has been included as a replacement for a head injury, which will miss the final ODI against Sri Lanka after suffering a minor hamstring injury while fielding.
Maxwell has been included after his impressive performances in the ODI series as well as his ability to bat well against spin. The all-rounder can also bowl some easy overs with his off-spin, a skill that will certainly come in handy on the turning track in Galle. Overall, Maxwell has played 7 Tests, in which he has 339 runs with 1 century to his name.
Maxwell, 33, hasn’t played a Test for nearly five years, but Australia’s newly-appointed coach Andrew McDonald recently hinted that the 33-year-old might make a comeback in five-day cricket.
“You never know what’s going to happen. He (Maxwell) has a great record in the subcontinent India Especially with that century in Ranchi and he can give us off-spin too,” McDonald said last month on Melbourne radio station Sen.
The first Test of the two-match series begins in Galle on June 29, which is crucial World Australia currently lead the table with Test Championship points at stake while Sri Lanka are at the fourth spot.
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.
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