Australia have announced the squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Cooper Connolly is among the seven full or part-time slow bowling options.
Connolly has represented the Men in Yellow in limited-overs cricket. Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Sean Abbott, Josh Inglis and Nathan McSweeney are in the team.
Mitchell Marsh has been dropped after his failures against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Josh Hazlewood, who was injured midway through the third Test against the Rohit Sharma-led team at the Gabba, was not considered.
Marsh and Hazelwood will focus on the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and Dubai. Mitchell Starc will lead the bowling unit along with Scott Boland. Pat Cummins has been rested, with Steve Smith returning as the team’s captain.
The teams will be clashing for the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy which the Aussies currently holds, having beaten the rivals Down Under in 2019 before the previous series in Sri Lanka was drawn 1-1.
Australia squad for Sri Lanka Tests: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster