Little-known spinner bolts into Aussie Test squad

An off-spinner with conscionable 7 first-class matches successful the container is successful enactment for a Test debut successful India aft Australia named Todd Murphy successful an 18-man squad.

The 22-year-old Murphy, declared by Steve O'Keefe arsenic Australia's champion off-spinner since Nathan Lyon, has scored a summons for the four-Test bid crossed February and March.

Australia's selectors person picked 4 mainline spinners for the circuit successful Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Agar and Murphy, who plays for Victoria and the Sydney Sixers.

"Todd Murphy has progressed rapidly having impressed successful home cricket and precocious with Australia A," said seat of selectors George Bailey.

"With those performances Todd has emerged arsenic a beardown rotation option.

"Selection successful this squad besides provides different accidental to walk clip alongside Nathan Lyon and adjunct manager Daniel Vettori successful India, which volition beryllium invaluable to his development."

Peter Handscomb volition articulation Murphy connected the level to India aft earning a accidental to reignite his Test career.

The right-hander chalked up 2 tons and 2 half-centuries successful his archetypal 4 Tests, successful the 2016-17 Australian summer, but was axed during the 2017-18 Ashes and dropped again aft the 2019 New Year's Test, his astir caller Test appearance.

Handscomb has shone successful the Sheffield Shield successful caller seasons, having scored a competition-high 697 runs astatine 49.78 successful the 2021-22 summertime and an unmatched 571 runs astatine 81.57 truthful acold this summer.

He featured successful Australia's 2017 Test circuit of India, compiling 198 runs astatine 28.28, and the Test bid successful Bangladesh aboriginal successful the year, registering 146 runs astatine 48.66.

"Peter Handscomb deserves his spot backmost successful the squad," Bailey said.

"His home signifier has been beardown precocious and Pete has proven helium tin execute astatine Test level.

"His acquisition against rotation connected the subcontinent is invaluable and helium is besides an exceptionally bully close-to-the-wicket catcher.

Australian Test squad for India tour

Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

MORE TO COME.