Agar recalled to open batting, Cummins, Zampa rested

Ashton Agar has been listed to open the batting ahead of captain Aaron Finch at No.3 as Australia pulled a surprising raft of changes for the third Dettol T20 International against Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval.

Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa have been rested while left-armers Daniel Sams, Mitchell Starc and Agar have all returned to Australia's team, with Steve Smith also out with concussion.

Finch, who looks set to drop down from his favoured opening spot for the first time in three years, won the toss and inserted the visitors on a balmy Canberra evening with the Aussies fielding an extra bowler in a radically altered line-up.

Having looked scratchy in knocks of 8 and 25 to begin the series, Finch is listed to bat at first drop below Agar and Ben McDermott while Josh Inglis has been moved down to No.5 below Glenn Maxwell.

Starc is back in the side after being rested for Sunday's Super Over win in Sydney, with Agar playing his first match for Australia since being the unfortunate casualty of Australia's call at the T20 World Cup to field just four specialist bowers.

A left-arm quick who hits bombs at the back-end of the innings, Sams was a late addition to the Aussie squad but has been one of the KFC BBL's leading allrounders and fetched a handsome A$484,000 at the recent IPL auction with Mumbai Indians.

He is playing his first international match in almost a year, while the match is Agar's first for Australia since the World Cup.

Both sides will be without their gun leg-spinners after Sri Lanka were forced into replacing star bowler Wanindu Hasaranga after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday morning.

Fellow wrist-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay has come into the side in his place, while Avishka Fernando has been dropped.

The visitors have been boosted, however, by the return of Kusal Mendis who is out of isolation after he contracted COVID-19 last week. Paceman Binura Fernando remains in isolation with the virus.

The hosts are yet to hit their straps with the bat in this series despite registering two wins in Sydney, defending 9-149 in the series opener before being rescued on Sunday by Josh Hazlewood's superb Super Over after Sri Lanka had matched 6-164.

Newcomer Inglis, who has impressed with scores of 23 and 48 in his first two matches for Australia, expected Canberra to provide a better batting strip than the SCG.

"It's a beautiful ground, it's normally a very good wicket," Inglis, part of the Perth Scorchers team that played a host of 'home' games in Canberra during BBL10, said of the venue.

"If we're going to get a big score anywhere it's probably going to be here.

"The Sydney wicket was a bit two-paced, a bit slow at times and it was quite hard to time the ball. I'm expecting different from this wicket."

Dettol T20 Series v Sri Lanka 2022

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head*, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa * unavailable for first three matches

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

Game 1: Australia won by 20 runs (DLS)

Game 2: Australia won in a Super Over

February 15: Third T20, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT

February 18: Fourth T20, MCG, 7.10pm AEDT

February 20: Fifth T20, MCG, 5.10pm AEDT

All matches broadcast exclusively on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Radio coverage by ABC Grandstand, Triple M and SEN