NEW DELHI: Ashton Agar is the latest Australia player to head home from their shambolic tour of India but will link up with the squad ahead of the one-day leg next month, the touring side said on Wednesday.

Australia’s hopes of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy evaporated after back-to-back defeats in Nagpur and Delhi, both of which came inside three days.

Pacer Josh Hazlewood has retu­rned home without playing a match and off-colour opener David Warner departed after suffering concussion and a hairline fracture in his elbow in the second Test.

“With Ashton, he’s worked incredibly hard when he was here,” Australia’s selector on tour Tony Dodemaide told reporters.

“He’s done his absolute best to support the team. We don’t doubt that. We acknowledge all the work that he has done here — really trying his backside off.

“It’s an opportunity for Ashton to get some valuable game time.”

Agar arrived as Australia’s number two spinner, behind Nathan Lyon, but did not get a match as the tourists blooded Todd Murphy in Nagpur and Matthew Kuhnemann in Delhi where they fielded a three-pronged spin attack.

With all-rounder Cameron Green and fast bowler Mitchell Starc returning from injuries, Australia deemed it would be better for Agar to play domestic cricket for Western Australia before joining the ODI squad in India.

Published in Dawn, February 23th, 2023