Australia add two fresh faces for Sydney Test

National selectors have named Ashton Agar and Matthew Renshaw as part of a 14-man squad for the third NRMA Insurance Test against South Africa starting on January 4 in Sydney.

The pair has been added to bolster a group that was hit by injury during the second Test in Melbourne, with allrounder Cameron Green and paceman Mitchell Starc both suffering fractured fingers on their bowling hands.

Australia squad for third NRMA Insurance Test: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), David Warner

With Josh Hazlewood having recovered from a side strain and WA quick Lance Morris also in the squad, the pace options for selectors remain plentiful, but on a Sydney Cricket Ground pitch that coach Andrew McDonald has already suggested could be quite dry, WA allrounder Agar provides another genuine spin option.

The left-arm spinner and left-hand bat played the most recent of his four Tests in September 2017 in Chattogram, while his only first-class cricket in the past 18 months has come via two matches in recent weeks, for a Prime Minister's XI against West Indies, and for Western Australia against Queensland. In those games he took combined figures of 3-212 across 78.4 overs, while his last five-wicket haul came against South Australia in October 2020.

Agar was selected on this year's Test tour of Sri Lanka and looked likely to earn a long-awaited recall until he was ruled out of the series with a side injury, with Mitchell Swepson the second spinner selected instead.

Renshaw meanwhile has been earmarked as a long-term Test opener but could figure in this Australian side in the middle order as a replacement for Green, should selectors deem a four-man attack sufficient against a Proteas side that has struggled to post meaningful totals throughout 2022.

Renshaw performed strongly for Queensland in the middle-order last summer but has returned to the top of the order this season with an eye to eventually replacing one of Australia's 36-year-old openers, Usman Khawaja and David Warner.

"Matthew is included as a versatile batting option who is in good form, including an unbeaten century in the recent PM's XI tour match against the West Indies," said selector Tony Dodemaide.

If the national selection panel does decide to pick an out-and-out batter to come in for Green, the Queenslander will be competing with incumbent squad member and fellow top-order leftie Marcus Harris for the vacant spot.

Harris has made his name as an opener but did spend some time at number three for Leicestershire during the 2021 County Championship, with strong results, including a maiden century in the competition.

"I don't think (Harris) needs to open," Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au at the time. "If he shows that he's good enough and scores enough runs in domestic cricket as an opener, then I think he can bat in the middle order quite easily."

Renshaw currently sits 11th on the Shield run-scorers list this campaign, with the majority of his 310 runs coming during his superb unbeaten 200 against New South Wales.

The 26-year-old has played 11 Tests, with his lone century coming at the SCG against Pakistan when he was just 20 years old.

Selectors meanwhile offered no clues as to which fast bowler might replace the injured Starc, with Morris seemingly an outside chance to debut as the seasoned Hazlewood targets a return to action on his home patch.

"It's a blessing to have Josh (Hazlewood) returning while Lance (Morris) offers a genuine point of difference with his raw pace and skill," Dodemaide added.

"This squad will cover all bases for when we get to Sydney and assess the conditions closer to the Test match."

A win for Australia in Sydney would not only seal a series sweep over the Proteas but guarantee them a place in next year's World Test Championship final, scheduled to be played in June at The Oval in London. 

Men's NRMA Insurance Test Series v South Africa

First Test: Australia won by six wickets

Second Test: Australia won by an innings and 182 runs

Jan 4-8: Third Test, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, David Warner

South Africa squad: Dean Elgar (c), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Eree, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo

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