Agar feels 'really valued' despite selection conundrum

There is some irony in Ashton Agar openly admitting the formula that kept him out of a World Cup-winning team is a sound one.

But despite finding life at the top of Australia's T20 batting order a tough proposition, Agar is fast becoming a cricketer too good to ride the bench.

With the ball on Friday, the left-arm spinner went a second consecutive match against Sri Lanka without conceding a boundary to underline his status as one of the country's craftiest operators.

Since March last year, no bowler (minimum 25 overs bowled) has a better economy rate in T20 Internationals than Agar’s mark of 5.59.

From 48 balls delivered in his two games against Sri Lanka, 21 have been dots, 27 have singles. The other was a wide.

Australia will come up against vastly strongly batting foes when they defend their World Cup crown later this year.

Those are nonetheless remarkable numbers for a player deemed surplus to requirements for all but one game at last year's World Cup as the Aussies settled on a selection strategy that saw seven batters, four specialist bowlers including only one spinner in Adam Zampa and no Agar.

Agar's admission that "it's really easy to see why we go with that format now – you can just back the batters who are in and play your shots at the top", highlights the buy-in players have had into that approach.

It also underscored the grace with which Agar has taken being sidelined during the prime of his career.

The 28-year-old's confidence, which he says is drawn from the tight-knit nature of the national white-ball teams, has not taken a hit despite also being overlooked for the first two games of this Dettol T20I series against his mother's country-of-birth.

"The ball is coming out really well," Agar told cricket.com.au after Australia's six-wicket win at the MCG. "I feel really valued in this squad and I feel respected.

"I don't think I have anything to prove now. It's more about how much I can contribute when I come into the side.

"These boys all have my back, we all have each other's backs. That's the hallmark of this team and why we love playing together so much."

Again opening the batting as Australia consider how they might fit Agar into a full-strength T20 side, Agar earnt praise from Glenn Maxwell for his anchoring effort that saw him uncharacteristically find the boundary just twice in his 31-ball 26.

The left-hander conceded the extra pace of Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara bowling with a new ball was a challenge.

"I found it pretty tough actually," said Agar. "Both of their openers bowled quite swiftly, especially when it's around your head. It was tough to get a bit of rhythm.

"It's hard not to let your mind get ahead of itself because then your body starts to do weird things … you're trying to stay as still as possible and watch the ball. When you're doing that really well, you're fast, and when you don't do that, you're slow.

"Tonight I felt a bit slow."

Australia's decision to leave out Agar was of course vindicated as Australia surged to their maiden T20 title with a tweaked team balance that relied on batting allrounders to make up the balance of the overs from the 'fifth bowler'.

For the years leading into the tournament Agar had essentially been that fifth bowler, batting at seven below the six main batters.

While his bowling returns were elite, his career batting T20I numbers (average of 12.40, strike-rate of 101.11) in the shortest format do not reflect the esteem which Australia hold him in, though that strike-rate was elevated to a tick under 150 during the recent KFC BBL season.

Their thinking in opening with Agar was summed up by Shane Warne on Fox Cricket: "They want to get him in the side, they want to play two spinners, so (Australia have said) let's give him the best opportunity to make runs".

While the extra batting depth provided by playing only four specialist bowlers might have won them the World Cup, the Aussies are realistic about the fact their finishers Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade are far from settled in their respective roles.

"We thought, going forward if we have to change the structure of our side slightly if we're to go with four bowlers or even five bowlers, trying to keep Wade and Stoinis at six and seven (is important)," captain Aaron Finch said when explaining the Agar promotion on Thursday.

"We feel as though that played a really important role in our World Cup success."

For Agar, the immediate task is simple.

"I want to be a cricketer that can be used in any situation of the game," he said. "I've just got to keep working at that."

Dettol T20 Series v Sri Lanka 2022

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara, Ramesh Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Thushara, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Shiran Fernando

Game 1: Australia won by 20 runs (DLS)

Game 2: Australia won in a Super Over

Game 3: Australia won by six wickets

Game 4: Australia won by six wickets

February 20: Fifth T20, MCG, 5.10pm AEDT

All matches broadcast exclusively on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Radio coverage by ABC Grandstand, Triple M and SEN