MELBOURNE: An injury to Michael Neser has forced Australia to make a change to their fast bowling stocks for their upcoming tour of Pakistan and called up uncapped paceman Mark Steketee.
Neser, who made his Test debut during the recent Ashes series against England, suffered a side strain while bowling for his state during Australia’s domestic one-day competition earlier this week and will be given time to recoup. His place will be taken by Steketee, who is currently the leading wicket taker in Australia’s Sheffield Shield competition this season with 29 scalps.
Michael Neser was forced off the field during a one-day game won by New South Wales at the Gabba on Monday. He could manage to bowl only twice when he stepped into the field after a long rain delay. Neser, who made his Test debut against England in Adelaide in December, has only bowled five times in 2022 after spending most of January with the national team.
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Another uncapped paceman in Brendan Doggett has also been placed on standby for the series, adding to Australia’s bevy of fast bowling options available to new skipper Pat Cummins. While Jhye Richardson has decided to skip the historic tour of Pakistan, Australia now has a total of six pace bowling options for the series.
Cummins will not only lean on the experienced duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood but will also be joined by the Scott Boland, Steketee and possibly Doggett for Australia’s first Test tour of Pakistan in 24 years/
The tour is set to start and end in Rawalpindi with the opening Test to be played from March 4-8 and the four white-ball matches to be played from March 29 to April 5.
Australia squad:
Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner. On standby: Brendan Doggett
