Nathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly Earn Test Call-Ups for Sri Lanka Tour

Nathan McSweeney and Cooper Connolly have been included in Australia's 16-man Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, marking a significant return for McSweeney and a notable debut for the young Connolly.

The squad, captained by Steve Smith in Pat Cummins' absence, also features Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann as backup spinners alongside veteran Nathan Lyon. Notably, Josh Hazlewood remains sidelined due to a calf injury, while Glenn Maxwell's Test career appears to be over following his omission.

"Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions the players may experience," said chief selector George Bailey. "This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets they may encounter in each match."

The squad's composition offers flexibility for the first Test in Galle on January 29th. While the top seven from the Sydney Test could remain unchanged, Travis Head's previous success at the top, including in India's 2023 tour, could open a spot for Inglis, McSweeney, or Connolly.

McSweeney, who opened in his initial Test stint this summer, was dropped after the Boxing Day Test. His future likely lies in the middle order, where he has excelled for South Australia this season.

Connolly's selection is particularly noteworthy, as the 21-year-old spin-bowling all-rounder is considered one of the country's brightest young talents.

With Cummins unavailable and battling ankle soreness, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Sean Abbott are the only fast bowlers named in the squad. The possibility of playing three frontline spinners alongside Lyon, Kuhnemann, and Murphy adds further intrigue to the team's composition.

Australia's recent 3-1 victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has secured their place in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's in June. However, the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy remains up for grabs in the two-Test series, with Australia aiming to retain their hold on every available bilateral Test trophy.