Marsh dropped for first test

ADELAIDE: Australia vicecaptain and allrounder Mitchell Marsh has been dropped for the first test against India as selectors backed the team’s three specialist seamers to bowl a full workload at Adelaide Oval.

Marsh’s place in the side for the seriesopener, which starts today, has been taken by middle order batsman Peter Handscomb, recalled for the first time since the tour of South Africa in March and April.

Despite scoring a century for Sheffield Shield side Western Australia in the leadup, Marsh pays the price for a poor tour of the United Arab Emirates where he managed 30 runs from four innings with the bat against Pakistan and two wickets at the cost of almost 100 runs with the ball.

‘‘Mitch Marsh probably hasn’t been as consistent as he would like and we would like,’’ captain Tim Paine told reporters at Adelaide Oval yesterday, confirming that Handscomb would bat fifth in the order with Travis Head at six.

Paine confirmed Marcus Harris would make his test debut and open the batting with Aaron Finch in the opener of the fourmatch series, Australia’s first home test since Steve Smith and David Warner were banned over the Newlands ball Australia: Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins, Mitchell

Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon. India: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma

Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah.

tampering scandal.

Australia coach Justin Langer earlier confirmed batsman Usman Khawaja would take his place in the side despite the arrest of his brother on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice and forgery on Tuesday.

‘‘We’re keeping an eye on ‘Uzzie’; obviously it was a little bit of a shock for him yesterday,’’ Langer said on SEN radio.

‘‘He’ll be as cool and calm as usual out in the middle.’’

With a scorching 39degC forecast for Adelaide today, Paine said Australia would be inclined to bat first if he won the toss against counterpart Virat Kohli.

‘‘You want to bat on days when it’s 40deg,’’ the wicketkeeper said.

‘‘Normally, Australian teams like to bat first.’’ — Reuters

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES. Man of the hour . . . Azhar Ali, of Pakistan, celebrates after reaching his century on day three of the third test match between New Zealand and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi yesterday.