Australia make changes for Canberra

In the wake of their innings and 40 run win in Brisbane, Australia have added Western Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis for the second Test in Canberra, starting Friday. 

Stoinis, 29, has been in solid form for Australia's ODI side and Melbourne Stars in the KFC BBL and joins the Test squad as the sole specialist allrounder.

"The National Selection Panel has made the decision to add Marcus Stoinis to the Test squad for the second match against Sri Lanka in Canberra," said national selector Trevor Hohns. 

"We made the decision to add Marcus to give us the flexibility to play an allrounder in the event the conditions require an extra bowling option in the line- up."

"Marcus has been a consistent performer this season, he has displayed strong all round form in first-class cricket and continued that form into the Australian ODI series against India."

Stoinis remains available for the Stars' clash tomorrow night against the Brisbane Heat at the MCG.

In four JLT Sheffield Shield matches in 2018-19, Stoinis has scored 298 runs at 42.57 with three half-centuries and 10 wickets at 25.20. 

The right-hander has scored a half-century and taken a three wickets in his last two BBL matches and is averaging 67.25 from seven innings in BBL|08, along with 10 wickets at 12.

He has had continued backing from legendary spin bowler Shane Warne this summer but earlier this month brushed off his Test chances.

"Recent feedback is keep going with my white-ball stuff," Stoinis said. "They (the selectors) are pretty happy, there are things to work on obviously.

"Then with Test cricket, Mitch Marsh is the allrounder at the moment.

"I mean, he was picked in the last Test team and the last Test tour."

But since Stoinis spoke, Marsh has been dropped and now Stonis appears to be the No.1 allrounder.

Stoinis' says blocking external noise and simplifying his game has been the secret to his solid form this season.

"If anything I’ve just simplified everything," he said this week.

"There’s a lot of noise in cricket at the moment, whether it’s media or pressures you put on yourself and a lot of cricket games, so I’ve just tried to keep things really simple and trust my process and really just believe I’m good enough."

Australia gave debuts to Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson in Brisbane. Should Stoinis play in the nation's capital, he would become the 459th male Test cricketer for Australia. 

Matt Renshaw has been released from the Test squad to focus on the BBL with Brisbane, while Peter Siddle will be available for the Adelaide Strikers next match on Tuesday.  

Australia squad for second Domain Test: Tim Paine (c/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle

Domain Test Series v Sri Lanka

Australia: Tim Paine (c/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha

First Test: Australia won by an innings and 40 runs

Second Test: February 1-5, Canberra