Queensland spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is one step closer towards making his Test debut, earning a last-minute call-up to the Australian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2023).
The 26-year-old will fly to the subcontinent and join the Australian squad in Delhi ahead of the second Test against India, replacing leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson.
Matthew Kuhnemann added to Australian squad
Australia coach Andrew McDonald insists a “shocked” Matthew Kuhnemann is in the mix to play the second Test against India of the ongoing BGT 2023, with his Queensland teammate Mitchell Swepson heading home for the birth of his first child.
Swepson was overlooked for the first Test, which India won by an innings and 132 runs, and will now fly back to Brisbane to be with his pregnant fiancée, Jess.
With left-arm spinner Ashton Agar also not picked in Nagpur, Kuhnemann is en route to Delhi and could play alongside Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy if another turning pitch is presented.
“Shocked” Kuhnemann Opens up on Unexpected BGT 2023 Call
“I got a phone call yesterday morning when we were walking out for the warm-up, to my surprise. I was pretty shocked and I was probably a little bit nowhere in the first session yesterday,” Kuhnemann said on Sunday
“But it was a pretty amazing feeling and it‘s pretty cool to tell the boys as well at the warm-ups.
“I’ve watched every day (of the first Test), I‘ve just been such a fan of these series, they’re so good to watch. Todd Murphy was exceptional, and I watched how Jadeja bowled. I’m just really excited to be to get over there and be with the boys.”
Kuhnemann, a left-arm orthodox bowler with 12 first-class matches under his belt, could receive a coveted baggy green next week if Australia plays three strike spinners for the second Test at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, which gets underway on Friday.
Thank you for reading.
