MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Australia has named an unchanged squad for the fourth cricket Test against India starting next week, with the addition of Ashton Agar as a second spin option.
Agar, who scored a memorable 99 in his Test debut against England last year, will join Nathan Lyon should selectors opt to choose a second spinner for the Sydney Cricket Ground, which usually provides plenty of turn.
Mitch Marsh was earlier ruled out of the fourth Test starting January 6 with an aggravated hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Australia reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a draw in the third Test today, as India resisted the home team’s attack and batted out the final afternoon session.
Virat Kohli (54) and Ajinkya Rahane (48) led India’s resistance after an early collapse, and the visitors reached 174 for six6 chasing the improbable victory target of 384, with stumps called four overs early.
Australia, knowing a draw would be enough to secure a series victory, waited until lunch to declare their second innings at 318 for nine, and ran out of time to bowl India out.
Australia squad: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith (captain), Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Ashton Agar.
Summarised scores: Australia 530 (Steven Smith 192, Ryan Harris 74 Chris Rogers 57, Brad Haddin 55, Shane Watson 52; Mohammed Shami 4-138, Umesh Yadav 3-130) and 318-9 dec’d (Shaun Marsh 99, Chris Rogers 69, David Warner 40; Ishant Sharma 2-49, Ravichandran Ashwin 2-75, Umesh Yadav 2-89, Mohammed Shami 2-92). India 465 (Virat Kohli 169, Ajinkya Rahane 147, Murali Vijay 68; Harris 4-69, Mitchell Johnson 3-135, Nathan Lyon 2-108) and 174-6 (Virat Kohli 54; Ryan Harris 2-30). Match drawn.
