Australian left-arm spinner Ashton Agar who was recently roped in for the fifth Ashes Test against England, beginning January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), feels that the wicket at the ground is unpredictable.
“You don’t know what you’re going to get in Sydney. One day it could be green, one day it could spin a bit. We’ve got all options there. We’ll wait and see how we go,” the 24-year-old said.
Agar, who shot to Test fame when he made a record score of 98 while batting at number 11 against England at Trent Bridge in July 2013, has only played four Test matches so far. He insisted he was a far more consistent bowler now than he had been during his Ashes debut in 2013.
“I feel better coming into a Test match now. It doesn’t feel too fresh or too out of the blue,” he said.
“I don’t look back on that (Trent Bridge) too much. They are great memories but I’ve definitely moved forward since then and I feel like I’ve improved as a player,” he concluded.
Agar has been roped at the expense of fellow left-armers Steve O’Keefe and Jon Holland. He is most likely to join forces with Nathan Lyon in a two-man spin attack at the SCG.
Agar, who was forced to miss the start of the JLT Sheffield Shield season due to a fractured finger in October, was Australia’s second-choice spinner after Lyon in their most recent Test tour to Bangladesh.
Having guided Perth Scorchers to a stunning victory over Melbourne Renegades in their last Big Bash League (BBL) clash, Agar had earlier said he was bowling better than he ever had in the longest format of the game.
Mitchell Starc, who is in race to prove his fitness in time for the final Ashes Test, has also been retained in the squad against England.
Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb, who was left out for the third Test at the WACA Ground in Perth, has also retained his spot in the Test squad for Sydney.
Australia is currently leading the five-match series 3-0 after the fourth Ashes Test ended in a draw on the final day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
