Moises Henriques and Nathan Coulter-Nile the bolters for Test tour but bad news for injured quicks Peter Siddle and James Pattinson
Surprises in Sri Lanka Test squad
Australia have confirmed they will look to speed as much as spin to defeat Sri Lanka by naming six seamers – including recalled pair Nathan Coulter-Nile and Moises Henriques – in the 15-man Test squad for the three-Test tour in July and August.
The inclusion of Henriques, who played all three of his Tests to date in India three years ago, as a back-up to incumbent allrounder Mitchell Marsh rather than a spin-bowling allrounder such as Glenn Maxwell shows the selectors are looking to the quicks to provide a winning edge.
The spin bowling duties will be carried by New South Wales pair Nathan Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe, the latter returning to the squad having been selected for last summer's final Test against the West Indies but overlooked for the two-match tour to New Zealand on green, seaming pitches.
Missing from the touring party that secured the world's top Test ranking for Australia in NZ are Peter Siddle who underwent ankle surgery in the wake of that series, uncapped Chadd Sayers who was a 'horses for courses' choice and James Pattinson who has once more been sidelined through injury.
While Pattinson was rested from the final phase of the Australia summer due to ongoing shin soreness, he has since been diagnosed with a recurrence of stress fractures in his back, a problem that has restricted him to 17 Test appearances since his memorable debut in 2011.
"James experienced lower back pain during the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch and was given some time to rest," Bupa Support Team Physiotherapist David Beakey said today.
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"Unfortunately his back pain continued during this time and after further investigation it confirmed that he has had a recurrence of a back stress fracture.
"James will continue to spend the winter recovering from this injury, at which point we hope to have a clearer view of timelines for his return to play."
Coulter-Nile has also endured an injury-plagued career thus far and is yet to play a Test match despite being added to the Test squad last summer when Starc suffered a stress fracture in his foot and subsequently underwent ankle surgery that sidelined him for six months.
But Coulter-Nile suffered a dislocated shoulder in a fielding mishap during a KFC Big Bash League fixture shortly before the Boxing Day Test against the West Indies and he has played just one first-class match for Western Australia in the past 12 months.
In which the 28-year-old took 1-68 from 23 overs and did not bat against Victoria in Perth last February.
He will join Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jackson Bird – recalled for the NZ tour where he claimed a five-wicket haul in the second Test in Christchurch as a replacement for the injured Siddle – as specialist pace bowling options in Sri Lanka.
Henriques has been similarly dogged by injury over the past year, sustaining a badly broken jaw in a sickening fielding collision when playing in the UK county competition last winter and then a badly torn calf later in the year during the BBL.
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As a result, the 29-year-old made only four appearances for NSW in last summer's Shield competition (including the match against Victoria which was prematurely abandoned because of ground conditions at the SCG) with a top score of 25 and best bowling figures of 1-25.
Since his three Tests on the 2013 tour to India – Australia's most recent Test tour to the subcontinent where they were defeated 4-0 – the allrounder has averaged 36.59 from 18 innings with the Blues including three centuries, and taken nine wickets at 47.89 with a best of 2-48.
With Starc and Hazlewood expected to share the new ball in Sri Lanka, and Lyon and O'Keefe tipped to bowl in tandem in all three Tests in Kandy, Galle and Colombo, Mitchell Marsh is likely to take on an increased workload as the third seamer if Sri Lanka's batters get on top.
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And given that Marsh has battled with soft tissue injuries including a 'minor' side strain that curtailed his IPL campaign in recent weeks, the need for an auxiliary allrounder will be crucial as the world's No.1 Test team looks to win their first series in Asia since their 1-0 success in Sri Lanka in 2011.
The batting line-up features the same top five as utilised in New Zealand, with Shaun Marsh – who will miss the upcoming ODI tri-series in the Caribbean due to the imminent arrival of his first child – named as the extra batter and Peter Nevill the sole wicketkeeper.
Chair of the National Selection Panel Rod Marsh said today the squad, which would depart for the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka in early July, had been purpose-picked to reverse the recent results that Australia had produced on subcontinental pitches.
"This squad has proven experience in subcontinental conditions," Marsh said
"Henriques comes into the squad to give the flexibility of an additional allrounder option, having already shown he plays and adapts well to spin-friendly conditions.
"He has been working hard with his fitness and we believe he is in prime condition to serve us well should he be selected to play.
"Jackson Bird and Nathan Coulter-Nile join the squad and will give us good control and pace.
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"Jackson had an impressive Sheffield Shield season and showed skill with reverse swing in the last Test match in New Zealand earlier this year.
"He's playing in England at the moment and we're confident this will build his skills to assist the squad if he is selected in Sri Lanka.
"Stephen O'Keefe will complement Nathan Lyon and plays an important role in the subcontinent if he's selected in the final XI.
"We know his ability, he takes wickets continually in first class cricket and he impresses when we select him to play Test cricket."
Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (v-c), Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques, Peter Nevill, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon Steve O'Keefe.