Adam Gilchrist, a former wicketkeeper-batsman, believes that Australia’s treatment of Ashton Agar during the India trip was offensive. While Matthew Kuhnemann, a late call-up, made his debut in the second Test, the left-arm spinner who was named to the squad for the four-match series is yet to take the field.
Agar returned to action in the third Test match in Sydney against South Africa after a five-year layoff when he was nominated to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Australia chose to field two off-spinners in the first Test and an extra left-arm spinner in the second, but Agar was left out on both occasions.
According to reports, Agar may return to Australia because he is currently surplus to requirements. In order to attend the birth of his child, leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson has already quit the team, leaving Australia with just four spinners, including Agar. Gilchrist explained Agar’s situation to SEN WA Mornings, saying:
“There’s been murmurings that (Agar) might be on a flight home because he might feel like he’s surplus to requirements over there and I can understand why, without being in the camp and knowing the finer details of why he wasn’t picked.”
“But it’s a pretty big insult that I know from touring and being on a lot of tours, you felt that if you’re picked on the tour in a broader squad — unless it’s a pretty extreme like for like that has to come in — you generally expected the guys that were first reserves to step in.”
“I backed this team to win over there” – Adam Gilchrist
The Australian team has had a terrible tour thus far as a result of back-to-back humiliating losses to the ruthless Indian team. The opposition’s batting squad has struggled against India’s renowned spin three, and their bowling hasn’t had a significant impact. Gilchrist anticipates Australia to continue using three spinners after Cameron Green was deemed fully fit for the third Test. He stated:
“Maybe they keep the three spinners if that’s what conditions warrant and then Green comes in and adds that nice balance. It looks like Renshaw is probably the guy that would drop out of that happens because he looks like he’s a little bit scrambled as to where he fits into the picture.”
“I backed this team to win over there, I thought they had all the tools and the mindset and the experience to get it done. But it’s been a bit surprising as to how it’s unravelled pretty quick.”
The third Test between India and Australia will take place in Indore from 1st March.
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