15 Jan 2017

Four Australian spinners to tour India

7:43 pm on 15 January 2017

Australia have included the uncapped Mitchell Swepson and recalled Ashton Agar to a four-strong spin-bowling unit for the Test tour of India starting in February.

Ashton Agar in his first Test, 2013.

Ashton Agar in his first Test, 2013. Photo: Photosport

Leg spinner Swepson and left-arm orthodox spinner Agar, who played two tests in England in 2013, join off spinner Nathan Lyon and leftie Steve O'Keefe in the 16-man party which will play four tests in India.

Top order batsman Shaun Marsh and his all-rounder brother Mitchell were recalled after missing the recent series sweep of Pakistan, while another all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell, was also brought back in.

Jackson Bird was included as a third pace option alongside Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc despite having been dropped for the final test against Pakistan to allow two spinners to play in Sydney.

"We don't know what pitch conditions we will come up against in each of the venues but wanted to have flexibility and options available to us," head selector Trevor Hohns told reporters.

"We know India is an incredibly tough place to tour and have success in ... but we have chosen a squad which we believe will work really hard in its endeavours to perform well and give a good account of itself in the sub-continent."

Australia, who last won a series in India in 2004, open their latest attempt to conquer what former captain Steve Waugh once called the "final frontier" with the first test in Pune on Feb. 23 with further matches in Bangalore, Ranchi and Dharamsala.

Squad: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon, Stephen O'Keefe, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson.

- Reuters