IND vs AUS: Sam Konstas, Jhye Richardson Included as Australia Announce Squad For Final Two Tests Against India

Two changes made and one more player included as Australia on Friday (December 20) announced their 15-member squad to face India in the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is scheduled to take place in Melbourne and Sydney.

Young batter Sam Konstas earned his maiden call up, coming in as a replacement for Nathan McSweeney, while pacer Jhye Richardson returned to the national side to replace injured pacer Josh Hazlewood in the Australian squad for the remainder of the series.

Pacer Sean Abbott has also been added to the squad with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis and all-rounder Beau Webster, who have been part of the group in the earlier Tests of the five-match series, also retaining their spots.

McSweeney was dropped after a lean start to his international career. The 25-year-old, who opened for the first time in his career, became the fall guy among the top order failure. Sweeney had scored 72 runs at an average of 14.4 across the first three Tests.

Meanwhile, his senior opening partner Usman Khawaja has 63 runs at an average of 12.6, and number three batter Labuschagne, who made a fifty in the Perth Test, has scored a total of 84 runs across the three Tests at an average of 16.4.

Although Richardson earns a Test call after a three-year gap, Scott Boland is expected to take the slot vacated by Hazlewood in the playing 11 for the Boxing Day Test, scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne from December 26.

Boland, who had replaced Hazlewood in the 11 for the Adelaide Test, will provide back up to seniors Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins, who are both likely to feature for the fourth Test in a row.

Konstas, who was originally slated to take the vacant slot of David Warner before the series, is expected to feature in the MCG Test as the 19-year-old is the only other specialist opener in the Australia squad alongside Khawaja.

"Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further," national selector chief George Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Australia Squad For Boxing Day and New Year Tests vs India

Pat Cummins (captain), Travis Head, Steve Smith, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.