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Swepson shrugs off doubts to eye India as next support act

Having waited 514 deliveries between his second and third Test wickets, the leg-spinner cast aside doubts over selection and strategy to bounce back in Sri Lanka

Unburdened by the creeping pressure of a wicket drought that lasted more than 500 deliveries, Mitchell Swepson believes his radically divergent introductions to subcontinental cricket have him primed to take on India next year.

Given a license to be the attacking foil to the ultra-consistent Nathan Lyon, Swepson cast aside doubts over selection and strategy to play a sterling support role in Australia's 10-wicket demolition of Sri Lanka in Galle.

The 28-year-old took five wickets to Lyon's nine as the visitors recorded one of their fastest ever Test wins.

But Swepson is aware the second Test beginning Friday at the same seaside venue on the island's south coast will likely be his last until February, when Australia embarks on their first Test trip to India in five years.

The Aussies have not played a wrist spinner in a home Test in nearly 15 years and the strength of their pace attack in recent years has meant they have not called on a spin partner there for Lyon either since 2015-16.

"I think it's a very biased opinion for me to think that two spinners can be effective back home (but) I don't like my odds on that happening," Swepson told reporters in Galle.

Image Id: 1B30B979DED34AC38D180AD1FFA84DD2 Image Caption: Swepson celebrates the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva in the first Test // Getty

"I've obviously got one eye on India. That's definitely a goal of mine, and a goal of this group is to get a series win over there. It'd be amazing.

"But there's a lot of Test cricket before then, in the conditions where the quickies might prefer. So for me it's about staying ready, going back to Queensland if that's what it is and performing there.

"I love bowling with 'Gaz' (Lyon), it's been great both times in Pakistan and here. He's been great to work with and it's great having an off-spinner and a leg-spinner working in tandem.

Lyon stars with five, but late mix-up halts Aussie charge

"Again, biased opinion of mine, but I think it's something we don't see enough of in cricket."

It could however be Australia's preferred method in India for the clash of the world's two (current) top-ranked Test sides.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will also come into calculations having been ruled out of the ongoing series in Sri Lanka with a side strain.

On debut in Pakistan in March, Swepson took a dream maiden Test wicket when he deceived captain Babar Azam and while he added another victim in his debut bowling innings, it took him another 514 balls before striking again in Galle.

The Queenslander toiled on lifeless tracks in Karachi and Lahore, earning some reassurance from having multiple catches go down off his bowling.

"I'm not going to lie, it plays on your mind. (Doubts) definitely creep in – 'Why aren't I taking wickets? What am I doing wrong here?'" said Swepson.

Swepson caps dream day with prized first Test wicket

"But from the conversations I'd had with 'Ron' (coach Andrew McDonald), Dan (Vettori, spin coach) and Patty (Cummins, Test skipper), they said while I probably didn't have the tour I wanted in Pakistan, they still thought that in that Test in Karachi I was quite unlucky to not get a few more wickets.

"In Pakistan it was about trying to stay effective – a big focus of ours was trying to control the tempo of the game.

"To be able to still have an impact keeping the runs down while the ball was reverse (swinging) at the other end, or while Gaz was spinning it out of the rough – that was what I had to bring my mind back to if the results weren't at my end."

Completely different conditions have awaited him in Sri Lanka, with Swepson admitting he and Lyon had to stop themselves from over-attacking on the opening day of the series opener such was the amount of variable turn and bounce on offer.

There is a belief the experience of playing in both countries have presented two opposite ends of the subcontinental pitch spectrum.

"The conditions are almost polar opposite," said Swepson of his first two Test tours. "Getting probably the two extremes is good preparation.

"Who knows what the wickets will be like out there (in India). It's a long way away yet but it will hold me in good stead that we've had these two different conditions."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Ramesh Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, Jeffrey Vandersay. Standby players: Dunith Wellalage, Lakshitha Rasanjana.

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