Shane Warne backs Marsh and Swepson for first Test in Pune

Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has gone ahead and put out a starting XI for Australia, one he believes is the best side to face up to the might of India in the first Test match between the two sides to be played at Pune. While Pune will host its first ever Test match when they clash tomorrow, the fact of the matter certainly is that the side put out by the Aussies will make all the difference.

While Matt Renshaw has been one of those blokes who has indeed made a name for himself in the grand scheme of things, the fact is that Shaun Marsh has a lot more experience playing in the subcontinent. He also has been the beneficiary of a century in the abysmal tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year. Renshaw had a decent start to his career however and it remains to be seen what happens on the day.

In spite of being highly unlikely, Warne has also gone ahead and backed spinner Mitchell Swepson ahead of the likes of Ashton Agar to feature in the side. Swepson is yet to play an ODI or a Test or even a T20I for that matter and will be thrust into the grand scheme of things when he makes his much-awaited ODI debut against India.

Whether or not Warne’s prophecy of Swepson playing in Pune remains to be the seen, he will definitely come into play further as the series progresses to Ranchi and Dharamsala.

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Shane Warne’s Australia XI for the first Test: Shaun Marsh, David Warner, Steve Smith (C), Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (WK), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon