Glenn Maxwell added to the squad as cover for David Warner

The selectors of Cricket Australia have roped in Glenn Maxwell to the squad as cover for the vice-captain David Warner. The all-rounder was initially ignored and picked Shaun Marsh ahead of him as a specialist batsman at number 6 position. Even though Warner has been confident of being fit for the first Ashes Test on Thursday, the selection doesn’t want to take any chance it seems and called in Maxwell.

He was the part of the squad which travelled India and Bangladesh earlier this year for the Test series. He fared decently with the bat with a splendid century in Ranchi when the team needed him the most. Unfortunately for him, he is yet to feature in the baggy green at home and there are very slim chances of Warner missing out who clutched his neck during the fielding drill on Tuesday.

He will be 100 percent fit

David Warner was in discomfort and could train only for 30 minutes ahead of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane. The skipper Steve Smith was also confident that the opener will be fit and ready in time for the fierce battle. “They’re thinking about it (bringing in a replacement player) at the moment, but Davey is confident he’ll be OK. Davey is going well. He had a hit just before and he’s very confident. He said he’ll be right to go,” he told reporters.

“He’ll be okay. It’s part and parcel of playing cricket. Guys have injuries now and then. You have little niggles and he’s confident that he’ll be okay. He said he’ll even bat like Shivnarine Chanderpaul if he has to bat that way. So I think he’ll be all right. It’s improved a fair bit over the last 24 hours. Hopefully he can keep improving and he’ll be 100 per cent come 10 o’clock in the morning,” Smith added.

The 28-year-old was also excited about the pace trio which will be playing their first Test together. “It has been exciting watching them in the nets. Back to 2013-14 when Mitchell was bowling in the nets, these guys (Starc, Cummins) are just as nasty, if not more nasty to be perfectly honest. A couple of the net sessions I have had against Cummins and Starc have been quite scary so that is really exciting for us,” he continued.

“It’s been no real secret that these three have been on the radar to play this game for a very long time. They have been working up towards this. They are here now. They are fresh. They are bowling fast and I think it is a really exciting time for this team,” the skipper concluded.