IND vs AUS 2022-23: Australia announces spin-heavy group for Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia is in its swansong bid to qualify for the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship final. In its final Test series, it travels to India for a four-Test series to compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, currently held by the hosts. While the Kangaroos have nearly sealed their place in the final, Rohit Sharma and co are still in contention and a favourite, as they would leave no stone unturned to get the job done. Ahead of the trip, the 18-member squad for the series has been announced by Cricket Australia (CA), which is spin-heavy, while rookie off-spinner Todd Murphy has earned his maiden call-up.

Australia will be hunting for its maiden Test series triumph in India since 2004. It will play the games in Nagpur (February 9-13), New Delhi (February 17-21), Dharamsala (March 1-5) and Ahmedabad (March 9-13). The 22-year-old Murphy from Victoria will unite with fellow spinners Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson and Nathan Lyon in the group, including Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw as back-ups for batting.

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With a finger injury, senior seamer Mitchell Starc will be missing out on the opening Nagpur Test and will likely join fellow speedsters -- skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Lance Morris later for the series remainder. All-rounder Cameron Green is also a part of the delegation, while he is also racing against time to recuperate from a ruptured finger.

"We have selected a squad that provides the depth and flexibility required to adapt depending on the conditions we may encounter," former captain and current Australian chief selector George Bailey announced in a statement. Opening up on Murphy's call-up, Bailey declared: "Todd Murphy has progressed quickly, having impressed in domestic cricket and recently with Australia A. With those performances, Todd has emerged as a strong spin option."

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Murphy will be veteran spinner Lyon's understudy, scalping 29 wickets in the seven First-Class (FC) contests he has competed in. He has also featured in 14 List-A, and eight Twenty20 (T20) matches. "Ashton Agar continues to impress following his comeback in Sydney, and we believe left-arm finger spin will play an important role in Indian conditions. Mitchell Swepson has recent Test experience in the sub-continent and offers leg-spinning variety," added Bailey.

While Handscomb will also be joining Renshaw as a backup for batting, Marcus Harris was dropped. "Peter Handscomb deserves his place back in the squad. His domestic form has been strong recently, and Pete has proven he can perform at the Test level. His experience against spin on the subcontinent is valuable, and he is also a magnificent close to the wicket catcher," Bailey expressed. Handscomb's last Test appearance was in 2019. Australia will also be playing three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in India. However, the crew for the white-ball series will be announced later.

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Australia Test squad for India tour: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb (wk), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson and David Warner.