Smith returns to Test captaincy as Cooper Connolly firms for shock debut in Sri Lanka

Steve Smith’s return to the Australian captaincy coincides with a potential shock Test debut for West Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly in Sri Lanka as discarded opening batsman Nathan McSweeney is also recalled for a two-match series on the subcontinent.

Tasmanian tweaker Matthew Kuhnemann is also in the box seat to add to his three Test appearances after Australian selectors recalled the left-arm finger spinner in an extended squad for matches in Sri Lanka in late January and early February.

Connolly, McSweeney, Kuhnemann and off-spinner Todd Murphy are the most notable inclusions in the 16-man squad announced on Thursday to tour the island nation, with all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell facing the end of their Test careers after being omitted.

Smith will lead the Australian side as Pat Cummins stays home to be at the birth of his second child, while Cricket Australia has indicated that he is also resting an ankle injury that was managed throughout a drought breaking 3-1 series triumph over India.

One of the country’s brightest young talents, Connolly, a left-arm spinner viewed primarily as a promising batsman, is set to gain invaluable experience touring Sri Lanka.

Connolly, 21, has played just four first-class matches for WA and boasts a batting average 61.8 from six innings, but is yet to reach triple figures. He is the Big Bash’s leading run-scorer for the season, having knocked up 272 runs at an average of 54.4.

Cooper Connolly of the Scorchers bats during the 2022-23 Men’s Big Bash League final.Credit: Getty Images

Connolly bowls left-arm orthodox spin in white-ball cricket, but has not taken a wicket from 16 overs with the red ball for WA. Sri Lanka has been a particularly happy hunting ground for left-arm finger spinners in the past, with Connolly a reinforcement for frontline tweakers Nathan Lyon, Murphy and Kuhnemann.

Kuhnemann, who played three Tests against India on Australia’s last tour of the subcontinent in 2023, has every chance to force his way into the XI for the opening Test in Galle on January 29.

The 28-year-old, who has nine Test wickets at 31.11, was brought in to be around Australia’s squad during the fifth Test against India in Sydney, alongside Murphy and veteran batter Peter Handscomb, who was not selected for the Sri Lanka tour.

McSweeney has been preferred to subcontinent specialist Handscomb, having played three Tests against India before being dropped for Sam Konstas.

Australia’s squad for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka

Steve Smith (captain), Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Cooper Connolly, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Sean Abbott, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Inglis.

“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions the players may experience,” selection chairman George Bailey said.

“This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets they may encounter in each match”.

With Beau Webster retaining his spot following a stellar debut in the Sydney Test, there is no room for Maxwell or Marsh, who was dropped for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.

Given Cameron Green is also due to return from injury ahead of Australia’s winter Test commitments against South Africa in the World Test Championship final and touring the West Indies, former Australian opener Aaron Finch believes Marsh might have played his last Test.

“I think it’ll be really difficult for Mitch to get back into the side now,” Finch said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show. “There is not a huge amount of cricket left in this summer to force a case, with Cameron Green coming back in early March. For me, it’ll be unlikely [he ever plays again].”

Green posted a video to social media on Wednesday of him jogging around the WACA Ground after recovering from back surgery, which ruled him out for the summer and the upcoming Sri Lanka tour.

As revealed earlier this week, Josh Hazlewood won’t be part of the two Sri Lanka Tests, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland Australia’s first-choice quicks. Uncapped NSW veteran Sean Abbott, who was part of Australia’s extended Boxing Day Test squad, will also tour as a back-up seamer.

Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council has rated the SCG pitch “satisfactory” after former Australia captain Michael Clarke said it was the worst he had seen in Sydney.

Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday that the ICC had given the Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne pitches “very good” ratings.

Despite the fifth Test against India wrapping up inside three days, the SCG pitch was given the second-highest rating of “satisfactory”.

Venues receive demerit points for “unsatisfactory” or “unfit” ratings.

“We don’t look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series,” said Peter Roach, CA’s head of cricket operations and scheduling. “What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball, and pitches that are likely to produce a result.”

Days after Australian opener Usman Khawaja labelled the SCG pitch a “stinker”, Clarke was more scathing.

“I hate saying this out loud – that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney,” Clarke said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show. “I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket.

“Australia wins, so I’m not complaining, but if we went to India and played and they produced a wicket like that – in regards to a raging turner and the game was over in 2½ days – I think all Australian cricket fans would be kicking up a stink.

“These wickets in general throughout the whole summer were really tough for batting and great for fast bowling. Sydney was extreme.”

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