Steve Waugh backs Matthew Wade for India tour; considers Fawad Ahmed as well

Steve Waugh  has said Australia should carry on with wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade for the upcoming tour of India starting next month. He also went on to say that national selectors should consider including Victorian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed  for the trip to the Indian subcontinent. While Wade is expected to travel to India despite a recent slump in form with the bat, their spin department continues to remain a mystery for the tour.  Australia included Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe and Ashton Agar for the Sydney Test against Pakistan with Agar missing out in the playing XI.

According to Cricket Australia, Steven Smith had said the trio were brought into camp to train together. It is a clear indication that the selectors are  keeping an eye on them for the four-Test tour against Virat Kohli’s side starting in late February in Pune. However, Waugh believes leg-spinner Fawad could succeed in the subcontinental conditions. The 34-year-old was born in Pakistan but gained Australian citizenship on the eve of the 2013 Ashes and made international debut in a Twenty20 (T20I) clash against England in August during that tour. Fawad has been Sheffield Shield’s most prolific spin bowler in the past three seasons, grabbing 75 wickets at 27.89. He was even rewarded with a Test selection for the tour of the Caribbean and the Ashes in 2015.

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Waugh senior was also quoted as saying, “He (Agar) says he’s an all-rounder so he’ll add something to (the squad). Someone like Fawad I’d like to see in the picture but he doesn’t seem to get a mention. I think he could do really well on Indian pitches but he seems to be a fair way out of calculation.”

Talking about Wade, he added, “I’m a big believer in backing someone until you believe there’s someone better to replace them. They’ve picked him and he’s done OK. He needs some runs to stay in the side but I don’t think they change a winning side”, concluded Waugh.