Australia picks four spinners for India series

MELBOURNE — Australia called up uncapped Mitchell Swepson to boost the spin contingent for next month’s India series to four, as Glenn Maxwell returned to the Test fold in a 16-man squad. Australia has not won a Test match in India since 2004, and the four-Test February-March series is expected to be a supreme test for skipper Steve Smith and his team. Queenslander Swepson, 23, was the major surprise of the touring party, getting the call up after just 14 first-class games. Swepson joins lead spinner Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar and Steve O’Keefe. “To be honest, I didn’t really know how to take it. I was just so shocked,” Swepson told reporters. The Queensland leg-spinner admitted he thought he had no chance of earning his first international call-up, despite the endorsement of spin legend Shane Warne. “It’s awesome to get that sort of feedback from the best leg-spinner we’ve ever seen play the game,” Swepson said. Interim national selector Trevor Hohns said the panel was excited by Swepson’s potential. All-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh were included in the side, with Hilton Cartwright dropped, to complement the bowling unit, while experienced batsman Shaun Marsh returns after a finger injury earlier this summer. “Shaun is proven in subcontinent conditions and is coming off a hundred in his last Test match in Sri Lanka,” Hohns said. Hohns said selectors considered Mitchell Marsh as a bowling all-rounder. “Should we decide to play a two pace and two spin bowling attack it is important to have that third seam bowling option,” Hohns added. Some of the squad will head to Dubai on Jan. 29 to train, while the rest will follow after the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand. The first Test against India begins in Pune on Feb. 23. Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve O’Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade. — AFP