Mitchell Swepson, Australia’s leg-spinner will make his long-awaited Test debut against Pakistan on Saturday, with skipper Pat Cummins confirming Australia’s XI for the second Test of the three-match series.
With the surface in Karachi expected to aid spin, Pat Cummins announced that Mitchell Swepson will play his first Test match, with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood the man to miss out.
Mitchell Swepson Will Make His Long-Awaited Test Debut In 2nd Test Against Pakistan Confirms Skipper Pat Cummins
Mitchell Swepson first toured with Australia’s Test side five years ago and has consistently been Nathan Lyon’s spin deputy in the past few years, but has not been able to make the final XI. The Queenslander will be the first frontline leg-spinner to debut in Tests for Australia’s men’s team since Bryce McGain in 2009.
“He’s pumped and to be honest, we’re all pumped for ‘Swepo’,” Cummins said.
“It’s been a long time running drinks over the last couple of years, but he’s absolutely ready. He’s been a huge part of the squad, even though he hasn’t been playing. So we’re really excited to see him get a chance. The wicket here is a little bit drier and historically a bit friendlier for the spinners.”
Mitchell Swepson has played 7 T20Is and has picked 11 wickets averaging 15.72 with a best of 3/12. He has also played 51 first class games picking 151 scalps at 34.55. He has also picked 28 scalps in 33 List A games and 64 scalps in 61 T20s.
Mitchell Swepson Indebted To Late Shane Warne For Passing On Tactical And Technical Tips
The drought-breaking inclusion of a leg-spinner comes less than a week after the man many consider the greatest slow leg-spin bowler of all time, Shane Warne, died suddenly in Thailand. The spin legend mentored Mitchell Swepson at various points through his career, passing on tactical and technical tips, perhaps most notably during the 2017-18 summer when Shane Warne advised him to slow his approach to the crease.
“Never got to properly thank this man for his influence on my cricket career,” Swepson posted in a social media tribute following Warne’s death on Friday. “He has made me push myself day in and day out without ever knowing it. Truly the greatest cricketer I’ve ever seen play the game.”
Australia trialled a handful of wrist-spinners in the aftermath of Shane Warne’s Test retirement in 2007 but, until off-spinner Nathan Lyon’s emergence, struggled to come to terms with the gaping hole left by arguably cricket’s greatest bowler.
Stuart MacGill played just four of his 44 Tests after Shane Warne hung up the boots before injuries curtailed his career, while Brad Hogg (three post-Shane Warne Tests), Beau Casson (one Test in 2008 against West Indies) and Bryce McGain (one in 2009) were all tried and discarded.
Australia’s last Test victory in Pakistan in 1998 had come in Rawalpindi, with an off-spinner and a leg-spinner in their attack. Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill claimed nine wickets for the match and Colin Miller took three, although Colin Miller, who was on debut, bowled both seam up and offspin.
Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson