Smith confirms Agar’s Test return

Dhaka: Australian captain Steven Smith confirmed Ashton Agar will play his first Test in four years when the two-Test series against Bangladesh begins in Dhaka on Sunday. Agar made a sensational debut to Test cricket in 2013, scoring 98 runs in his maiden innings batting at number 11 against England at Nottingham. But since then the 23-yearold has made only one further Test appearance, and has been hungry for a return to the long format of the game. It was not until his impressive form in the Sheffield Shield this season — he claimed 16 wickets and scored 115 runs in four innings for Western Australia — that he caught the eye of the selectors again. He was picked for Australia’s two-Test tour of Bangladesh ahead of left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe, whose 12wicket haul against India earlier this year helped Australia win the first Test of that series. Agar will partner with offspinner Nathan Lyon on a supposedly spin friendly wicket at Dhaka’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium, where Australia will make their first Test appearance against Bangladesh in 11 years.

Squad: Steve Smith (capt.), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon

Gabriel was still probably a little bit annoyed at himself for dropping me on 98, but it comes with the game

— Ben Stokes England all-rounder said he had no problems on the send-off he received from Shannon Gabriel