Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist has lamented the treatment of Test spinner Ashton Agar throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, calling the nature in which he has been overlooked a “pretty big insult”.
After five years out of the Test side, Agar earned a surprise call-up for last month’s New Year’s Test against South Africa at the SCG, finishing the rain-affected fixture with match figures of 0-58.
The 29-year-old travelled to India as Australia’s second-choice spinner, but fears over his form emerged after he struggled in the nets during the Bangalore training camp.
Watch Australia’s Tour of India. Every Test & ODI live & ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Australia subsequently abandoned its 35-year tradition of picking spinners who turn the ball in opposite directions, with uncapped tweaker Todd Murphy making his Test debut for the series opener in Nagpur.
After the first Test, Mitchell Swepson returned home for his child’s birth, with Queensland teammate Matthew Kuhnemann replacing the leg-spinner in the Australian squad.
Kuhnemann, another left-arm orthodox bowler, was given his baggy green ahead of the second Test in Delhi, seemingly leapfrogging Agar in the pecking order.
On Monday, reports suggested Agar could be flown back home ahead of the third Test in Indore — however, Australian coach Andrew McDonald denied the spinner was leaving.
“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,” Gilchrist told SEN WA Mornings.
“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.
“So that’s a bit of a body blow for him I would imagine. I haven’t spoken to him … it’ll be interesting to see what he does, whether he’s brought into contention.”
READ MORE
TALKING POINTS: Aussie Kryptonite strikes again
PLAYER RATINGS: Recalled star’s Test comeback flops
India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after defeating Australia by six wickets at Arun Jaitley Stadium, with the tourists suffering a cataclysmic collapse of 9-48 on Sunday morning.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is expected to be fit and available for the third Test, meaning the visitors would be tempted to select three strike spinners again in Indore.
“Maybe they keep the three spinners if that’s what conditions warrant and then Green comes in and adds that nice balance,” Gilchrist explained.
“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 gets underway at Holkar Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, March 1 with the first ball scheduled for 3pm AEDT.
Border ‘shell-shocked’ after collapse | 00:43
