India vs Australia: Australia name Marcus Harris for injured Will Pucovski for test in Gabba

Marcus Harris (R) with Australia Head Coach Justin Langer. Image: cricket.com.au

Xtra Time Web Desk: Australia has named Marcus Harris in the test squad for the fourth and final test against India at the Gabba starting from Friday. Harris replaces an injured Will Pucovski who on Thursday failed a fitness test. Harris will open the batting with David Warner.

Pucovski, who made his debut in Sydney test last week, injured his right shoulder while fielding on the final day of the match at the SCG. He did not take part in the training session with the team.

Australian skipper Tim Paine confirmed Marcus Harris will partner David Warner at the top in his pre match conference.

“He tried to train this morning and didn’t quite come up,” Paine said.

“He’ll have a bit of work to do with our medicos to see where he goes from here, but he’s obviously missing this Test match and Marcus Harris will replace him.”

Harris, who played the most recent of his nine Tests in the 2019 Ashes, played all four Tests of India’s tour of Australia two summers ago, top-scoring with 79 at the SCG.

The left-hander had an Ashes campaign to forget against England’s star seam bowlers and has a Test batting average of 24.06.

But after a middling domestic campaign last season, he returned to his best in the Marsh Sheffield Shield for Victoria, partnering Pucovski in a record-breaking partnership against South Australia and scoring 355 runs in two games, with a top score of 239.

He managed scores of 35, 25no, 26 and 5 in two games for Australia A against India before the Test campaign began.

“Harry’s just a known (quantity) for us and a very good player,” Paine said.

“He’s been working our backside off in our hub for a while now. He’s had huge numbers in Sheffield Shield cricket and deserves the opportunity.