Webster added to Test squad as Aussies sweat on Marsh fitness

Beau Webster is one step closer to a Test debut after the Tasmanian allrounder was added to Australia's squad for the second Test against India as cover for Mitch Marsh.

Marsh pulled up sore following Australia's 295-run loss in Perth and while coach Andrew McDonald indicated they would take an unchanged 13-man squad to Adelaide, concerns over the West Australian's fitness have prompted Webster's inclusion.

Australia squad for second Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

The 30-year-old has been the most influential player in the Sheffield Shield over the past 18 months and took two late NSW wickets on Wednesday to seal Tasmania's first win of the 2024-25 season.

Last summer, Webster became just the second player in the competition's 132-year history after West Indian great Sir Garry Sobers to score more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a season.

He's already hit 448 runs at 56 in first-class cricket this summer, along with his 16 wickets, which includes scores of 61no and 46no and hauls of 3-19 and 3-49 in Australia A's 2-0 series victory over India A.

"To get a few runs and wickets (for Australia A) was pleasing against a strong Indian side," Webster said today ahead of the announcement.

"Any time you're playing 'A' cricket, it's the one step below Test level, so it does hold you in good stead.

"To get the call from 'Bails' (men's selection chair George Bailey) at the end of the NSW game was a really proud moment and I can't wait to get stuck in.

"There's a tight turnaround between the Adelaide and Gabba Test so I think (I'm there) just to have some cover there for that middle-order role, whichever way they go."

Even if Marsh isn't cleared to bowl, it remains possible they could stick with the 33-year-old as a specialist batter for the second Test starting on December 6. Reserve batter Josh Inglis is also in the squad.

Marsh pulled up sore after bowling the most overs he has in a game for three years, with Australia also relying on overs of spin and medium-pace from Marnus Labuschagne as well as five overs of off-spin from Travis Head.

Marsh collected 2-12 from five overs in the first innings and returned 1-65 from 12 overs in the second, with McDonald conceding the allrounder was underdone coming into the series.

The right-armer had only bowled four overs at match intensity in the seven months prior to the first Test, all of which came in the fourth ODI against England in September where he missed the series-deciding fifth match two days later due to soreness.

"We knew that Mitch (Marsh) was slightly underdone coming in, but I thought the performance in the first innings was satisfactory," McDonald said following his side's first Test defeat.

Along with his destructive middle-order batting, Webster's rise to the fringes of the Test side has come on the back of his seam-bowling prowess, having only added the skill to his armoury four years ago.

He also continues to send down occasional overs of off-spin when conditions and the match situation dictate.

"It was probably something I wish I had of done a lot earlier looking at where I am now," Webster told cricket.com.au of his decision to take up pace bowling during the 'A' series earlier this month.

"It was one thing I sort of toyed with throughout my career and I always had a sore back or was hurting myself and wouldn't be able to bat, so I put it on the back burner.

"But through those Covid years, when we had a bit of time off, I threw everything into it and did a bit of work with Adam Griffith, got in the gym and did more bowling specific sessions and it definitely changed my career."

Despite having forged an incredible record batting at No.6 and 7 over the past three Shield seasons, Webster said he'd be very confident at Test level "anywhere from (number) four down".

"I played a lot of cricket in the early days at the top of the order as well so I don't think it'd be a huge change," he said.

"The top three might be asking a bit of a different question but definitely that middle-order role and being able to chip in with some overs, I could do a job there absolutely if a spot was to open up."

Webster and the rest of the Australian squad will arrive in Adelaide on Monday for an additional training session than initially planned – after India secured a thumping first Test victory inside four days in Perth.

"Obviously shifting into pink ball which will create different challenges in the way we go about it, so we'll invest in that extra day," McDonald said.

Australia will have to overturn recent history to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after going 1-0 down in the best-of-five series.

The last time Australia recovered after losing the first Test and came back to win the series was in the 1997 Ashes in England.

NRMA Insurance Men's Test Series v India

First Test: India won by 295 runs

Second Test: December 6-10: Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (D/N)

Third Test: December 14-18: The Gabba, Brisbane, 11.20am AEDT

Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT

Fifth Test: January 3-7: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad (for second Test): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal