Australia add Beau Webster to Test squad amid Marsh fitness concerns

Australia have added Beau Webster to their squad ahead of the next Border-Gavaskar Test in Adelaide amid fitness concerns for incumbent allrounder Mitchell Marsh. The Tasmanian was handed his maiden international call-up despite claims from head coach Andrew McDonald that the hosts would have an unchanged 13-man squad for the day-night Test that begins on December 6.

Marsh, 33, pulled up sore after Australia's 295-run defeat in the series opener in Perth having sent down 17 overs at the Optus Stadium - the most he's bowled in a Test in three years. McDonald admitted later that his allrounder didn't have the necessary workloads coming into the series after the team's first-choice fourth-seamer, Cameron Green, was ruled out of the summer with a stress fracture of the back.

It is likely that Marsh could still keep his place in the XI for Adelaide but play as a pure batter, but it would mean increased bowling loads for the frontline quicks particularly in the context of the third Test in Brisbane that begins four days after the scheduled end of the Adelaide Test.

Meanwhile, Webster's call-up is a reward for his excellent performances in first class cricket over the last two seasons. Last year, he became only the second player in Sheffield Shield history - after Sir Garfield Sobers - to score more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a season. This season, he's already hit 448 runs at an average of 56 along with his 16 wickets in first class cricket. This includes knocks of 61* and 46* and figures of 3 for 19 and 3 for 49 against the visiting India A side this month.

"To get a few runs and wickets (for Australia A) was pleasing against a strong Indian side," Webster said. "Any time you're playing 'A' cricket, it's one step below Test level, so it does hold you in good stead. To get the call from 'Bails' (selector George Bailey) at the end of the NSW game was a really proud moment and I can't wait to get stuck in.

"There's a tight turnaround between the Adelaide and Gabba Test so I think (I'm there) just to have some cover there for that middle-order role, whichever way they go."

Australia squad for second Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster