Australia has unveiled its Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, with Steve Smith stepping in as captain. Smith takes the reins from Pat Cummins, who is missing the tour to be with his family for the birth of his second child.
The 16-player squad blends experience and emerging talent, aiming to tackle Sri Lanka’s notoriously spin-friendly conditions. Among the selections, Cooper Connolly’s inclusion has drawn attention. At just 20 years old and with only four first-class matches under his belt, Connolly is seen as a rising star and a potential spin-bowling allrounder, following in the footsteps of players like Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar.
National selection panel chair George Bailey highlighted Connolly’s rapid rise and the potential he brings to the team.
“Cooper’s elevation after just four first-class matches indicates he may be earmarked for the spin-bowling allrounder role filled by Maxwell and Agar on recent subcontinent tours,” Bailey said.
Bailey also spoke about the challenges of touring Sri Lanka and the adaptability required from the squad.
“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions players may be presented with,” Bailey said.
“This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets we may encounter in each match.
“We are excited about the opportunity ahead for the squad members who are at the start of their Test careers to continue to grow their games in subcontinent conditions where we have a number of important tours in coming years.”
The squad’s balance of seasoned players like Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc with newcomers such as Connolly and Nathan McSweeney ensures depth and flexibility in dealing with Sri Lanka’s unique playing conditions.
Australia’s squad for Sri Lanka Tests:
- Steve Smith (c)
- Sean Abbott
- Scott Boland
- Alex Carey
- Cooper Connolly
- Travis Head (vc)
- Josh Inglis
- Usman Khawaja
- Sam Konstas
- Matt Kuhnemann
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Nathan Lyon
- Nathan McSweeney
- Todd Murphy
- Mitchell Starc
- Beau Webster
With this squad, Australia is not only preparing for the Sri Lanka tour but also building experience for future subcontinent challenges. To learn more about Connolly’s journey and his influences, see the video on why Connolly modelled himself on Shaun Marsh.