IND vs AUS 2nd Test: Australia likely to drop David Warner, Matthew Kuhnemann added to the Test squad: Soon after Australia’s embarrassment in the first test match in Nagpur, Australia has made two big changes to the squad for their upcoming test games against India. In one of the changes, the Aussies have called up Matthew Kuhnemann as a replacement for Mitchell Swepson while the other likely change could be a drop of David Warner from the playing11 of the IND vs AUS 2nd Test.
Reportedly, David Warner’s poor form in the two innings of the opening test in Nagpur has disappointed the Australian dressing room. The conversations following the humiliating test loss against India, a day ago, were in line to replace David Warner with in-form batter Travis Head, who missed out on the opportunity in the Nagpur Test.
“Sources close to the Australian team confirmed those discussions were continuing after Warner’s double failure in the first Test,” reported ‘Sydney Morning Herald’.
Warner could only score 1 and 10 runs in the two innings of the Nagpur test, which Australia lost by innings and 132 runs inside three days of play. The Aussies’ misery in the spinning tracks continued as they were bundled out by the Indians in just a single session on day three of the test.
Notably, none of the Australian batters could score a fifty in either of the innings in the 1st test match. Contrary to this, team India registered a century and two half-centuries in the first innings. While skipper Rohit Sharma made a sensational ton, the all-rounder duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel played half-century knocks apiece.
IND vs AUS 2nd Test: Matthew Kuhnemann to replace Mitchell Swepson
In another change, Australia has summoned Matthew Kuhnemann to India as a replacement for Mitchell Swepson, who left the test squad for the birth of his first child. Kuhnemann is reported to make his test debut in the IND vs AUS 2nd test match which will be held in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, starting February 17.
“I got a phone call yesterday morning when we were walking out for the warm-up, to my surprise. I was pretty shocked and I was probably a little bit nowhere in the first session yesterday. But it was a pretty amazing feeling and it’s pretty cool to tell the boys as well at the warm-ups,” Kuhnemann was quoted as saying by Cricket.com.au.
“I’ve watched every day (of the first Test), I’ve just been such a fan of these series, they’re so good to watch. Todd Murphy was exceptional, and I watched how Jadeja bowled. I’m just really excited to be to get over there and be with the boys.”
Australia’s Test Squad for 2nd Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, David Warner, Matthew Kuhenamann.