Pacer Scott Boland has been added to the Australian squad for the third Test match at Melbourne starting December 25. Australia are 2-0 up in the Test series courtesy of winning the first two games. Boland has been effectively added as a cover for the rest of the pacers. He will be playing in the MCG Test if required.
Boland has been in red-hot form for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield. He picked up 15 wickets from 2 matches against New South Wales, averaging 10. He also featured in the game against England Lions in Brisbane before getting together with the national team in Adelaide.
Despite winning the second Test rather comprehensively. Australia have injury concerns ahead of the third Test. Hazlewood was ruled out of the first Test with a side strain, while Cummins was ruled out of the Adelaide Test after having come in close contact with a COVID-19 positive case at a restaurant in Adelaide.
Hazlewood’s fitness is being monitored while Cummins was asked to stay for mandatory 7-day isolation after. Cummins is likely to be back in the third Test and Boland in, Mitchell Starc could be rested for the third Test keeping the workload in mind. If Hazlewood fails to recover for the third Test, Boland will replace him while Starc will then be rested for the fourth Test in Sydney.
Scott Boland Likely To Make His Debut For Australia In Tests
Scott Boland has been added to Australia's squad for the Boxing Day Test while the medical team assesses the fast bowling group following the second Test victory, @CricketAus announce pic.twitter.com/dhuXJk6XfE
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 21, 2021
“Boland has been training with the team in Adelaide and joins the squad while the medical team assesses the fast bowling group following the second Test victory,” a release from Cricket Australia stated on Tuesday (December 21).
The young Aussie pacer has played 14 ODIs and three T20Is for the national side.
Australia Squad For Third Test
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, David Warner, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Swepson