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Glenn Maxwell could make a shock return to Test cricket next week after the injury-plagued Australians added the white-ball star to their squad to face Sri Lanka.
With Travis Head in doubt and Ashton Agar all but ruled out of the Test series opener in Galle on Wednesday, Maxwell is in the mix to wear his Baggy Green for the first time in five years as per cricket.com.au. Head, who was named player of the men's Ashes earlier this year, suffered a hamstring injury earlier this week in the ODI series while Agar is carrying a side strain and has identified the second Test (also in Galle) as an earliest possible return date. Along with Maxwell, Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis are the other options to take up Head's No.5 berth if the left-hander does not regain fitness in time. Jon Holland, Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy meanwhile will all remain in Sri Lanka "to assist the Test match preparations and to develop their experience in subcontinent conditions" though none of that spin-bowling trio have yet been added to the squad. All three have played for Australia A on their concurrent tour, while Kuhnemann has been promoted to the ODI team for the Aussies' last three games as a replacement for Agar. Maxwell's recall is a show of faith in his capability against spin bowling given he has not played a first-class game in two years and eight months amid his significant limited-overs commitments. All four of the 33-year-old's Tests have come on the subcontinent. Sri Lanka Test squad (provisional): Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Ramesh Mendis, Mohamed Shiraz, Shiran Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Lakshitha Rasanjana, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lasith Embuldeniya, and Suminda Lakshan. Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, and David Warner. (ANI)
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