Australia vs Sri Lanka 2019: Kurtis Patterson Receives Late Call-up to Australia's Test Squad

The southpaw batsman Kurtis Patterson is a late entrant to Australia’s 14-member Test squad that will take on Sri Lanka. The New South Wales batsman impressed recently when he scored two back to back hundreds in the practice game against Sri Lanka. Thus, the left-hander was rewarded for his good show with the bat.

In fact, Kurtis Patterson has a good chance of making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in the first Test match. The left-hander averages 41 in his first-class career and would like to grab his opportunity with both hands. The southpaw batsman scored 157 and 102. Thus, he was the cynosure of all eyes in the day-night three-day match against the visitors.

Australia will like to turn the tides.

Meanwhile, Jhye Richardson also receives his place in the Test squad after injury to vice-captain Josh Hazlewood. Richardson impressed in the ODI series against India. Joe Burns also makes the cut into the squad.

Furthermore, Will Pucosvki is the other uncapped player in the Australian squad. However, there is no place for Aaron Finch whereas Matt Renshaw gets a place. Moreover, Shaun Marsh also could not retain his place despite scoring a hundred in the second ODI.

“The National Selection Panel has added Kurtis Patterson to the squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka,” National Selector Trevor Hohns said on Monday (January 21). “Kurtis has been pushing his case for selection for some time, he has been a consistent top order player for New South Wales, was a member of the Australian A tour of India prior to the commencement of our summer, and was most recently selected to compete in the day night tour match against Sri Lanka in Hobart.

This would be a good opportunity for Patterson.

There was not a single hundred from the Australian side which lost the Test series against India 2-1. Thus, the selectors were asking the domestic players to score centuries if they wanted themselves to be considered for selection.

“We have been asking batters around the country to score hundreds if they want to be considered for selection, and given Kurtis’ consistent performances for NSW and his two unbeaten centuries in last week’s tour match against our upcoming opponent, Sri Lanka, we believe he deserves to be added to the Test squad.”

Australia will look to turn the tables in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The first Test will be a day-night affair and will take place at the Gabba from January 24. The second Test match will take place at Canberra from February 1.

Here is Australia’s Test squad for Sri Lanka series:

Tim Paine (c & wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle.