Maxwell a chance, Aussies consider radical shake-up

Australia are considering a bombshell recall for Glenn Maxwell for the second Test against Sri Lanka, with the final spot in the XI set to come down to a call between him and Mitchell Starc.

Pat Cummins said they would wait until Friday morning to decide but confirmed Maxwell, 12th man for the series opener last week, was being considered as a spinning allrounder to bat at No.8 in Galle.

Cummins suggested two fast bowlers had been one too many for the first Test they won by 10 wickets, with Maxwell able to bowl off-spin and also bolster the batting if another spinning minefield is presented.

The calculation for selectors comes down to essentially whether they think the strip prepared for the second Test will be as spin-friendly as the first.

Cummins chatted to groundstaff on Thursday morning and had a long look at the pitch prepared for the tour-concluding Test, but conceded he had little faith in his ability to predict how it will play.

"I'd love if anyone can read the wicket and tell us what it's going to do because I'm hopeless," said Cummins. "It feels a bit harder than it did last week … but we'll give it right up until tomorrow morning (to finalise the team)."

"Last week you probably didn't need two quicks but Mitchell Starc's class, so we'll wait and see."

Maxwell, a late addition to the squad as cover for Travis Head who suffered a hamstring strain last month, has not played a first-class game in two-and-a-half years and his Test drought has been twice as long.

But the Victorian is rated as a strong player of spin while Cummins suggested he was the pick of the Aussie bowlers during the preceding ODI series on the island.

"It's a pretty different kind of first-class cricket here to what you might experience playing Sheffield Shield," said Cummins.

"Different pace, the wickets are so different.

"The role that we see him in is a little bit of bowling and a bit of batting at No. 8 and taking the game on. It might not be grinding out a hundred but a quickfire 30 or 40."

Starc is one of the better flat-wicket bowlers in the world – he took 24 wickets in three Tests the last time Australia played in Sri Lanka six years ago – but the lush outfield and well-watered wicket table in Galle meant reverse swing was not a major factor in the first Test.

The left-armer got Kusal Mendis out in the first innings but only bowled 11 overs for the match.

Cummins did not bowl at all in the second innings, the first time in his career that has happened, as Sri Lanka were routed in just 22.5 overs on the morning of day three, with all but two of hosts' 20 wickets for the match falling to spinners Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson and Travis Head.

Fast-bowling allrounder Cameron Green was also unused for the whole Test.

"It makes it easier having plenty of other options," said Cummins when asked about the radical team shift being pondered.

"We've got Greeny there as a high-class quick bowler, Trav Head, Marnus (Labuschagne, a part-time leg-spinner), so it makes a bit easier to know we've got plenty of bowling if we need it.

"Even Nathan Lyon – you can lock him in from one end for most of the day. If the wicket plays lots of tricks, I think the batting is where you have to try to find the extra 20-30 runs."

Sri Lanka are reeling from five COVID-19 cases in the past week, including three more positives announced less than 48 hours out from the second Test with Australia having so far dodged the virus. 

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Dunith Wellalage, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lakshan Sandakan

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. Standby players: Matthew Kuhnemann, Todd Murphy

June 29 - July 3: Australia won by 10 wickets

July 8-12: Second Test, Galle, 2.30pm AEST

Sri Lanka v Australia Test matches will be screened live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports