Mitchell Swepson replaces Mitchell Starc for Bangladesh tour

Aussie leg spinner Mitchell Swepson has replaced fiery speedster Mitchell Starc for the country’s upcoming Bangladesh tour. It is a dream opportunity for the youngster, who is yet to get a Test cap under his belt. Australia will be playing their first Test series in Bangladesh since 2006.

The series kicks off at Mirpur on 27th of August and will shift to Chittagong in the month of September. Swepson will be a member of the 13 member squad that was announced in June for the two Test series. Swepson was included in Australia’s tour India earlier this year but unfortunately did not get the chance to prove himself. Simpson’s inclusion means Australia now have three full-time spinners in the squad in the name of Mitchell Simpson, Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar.

However, Australia have opted to go for spin instead of pace this time. With Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins already in the squad, the Kangaroos chose to boost their spin attack.

What Hohns had to say:

“We are comfortable with the fast-bowling stocks we have in the squad so have opted to add an additional spinner given the conditions we are likely to face in Bangladesh,” said selector Trevor Hohns.

“Mitchell is a very exciting young leg-spinner who we think will benefit immensely from further experience in the sub-continent.” added Hohns.

The call up was a lucky one for the 23-year-old as he has been away from cricketing action after the conclusion of the KFC Big Bash League in January. Teammates Ashton Agar, Usman Khawaja and Hilton Cartwright will also travel to Bangladesh without playing any cricket since last summer.

However, the Bangladeshis are confident of beating the Australians in the home series. Bangladesh cricketer Nasir Hossain claimed that the Tigers are capable of giving a tough time to the men in yellow under any circumstances.