Inside the space of a week, Matthew Kuhnemann could go from playing a Sheffield Shield match in front of a handful of spectators to making his Test debut in front of a parochial Indian crowd.
Key points:
- Kuhnemann has been called up while Mitch Swepson returns to Australia for the birth of his first child
- The Queensland spinner found out about his selection on Saturday
- He has played four ODIs for Australia
On Sunday, it was confirmed Kuhnemann would join the Australian squad ahead of the second Test in Delhi, replacing fellow Queensland spinner Mitch Swepson, who is returning home for the birth of his first child.
While Swepson will fly back to India before the third Test, it is not out of the question that Kuhnemann could make his Test debut in Delhi.
India dominated Australia in the first Test in Nagpur, winning by an innings and 32 runs, with spin underpinning its destruction of the tourists’ batting.
It has been suggested in the Australian media left-handed Kuhnemann could leapfrog Ashton Agar in the pecking order, should selectors opt to play three spinners in Delhi.
Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy — who took seven wickets on debut ion Nagpur — are certainties to be named in the Australia XI.
Kuhnemann, who flies out to India on Monday morning, is not getting excited about his selection chances.
“I’m sort of just going over there with an open mind and if it happens, it happens and I’ll go from there,” he told ABC Sport.
Kuhnemann found out about his selection on Saturday when he took a call from chief selector George Bailey during Queensland’s Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG.
“I was just putting my spikes on to head out to warm-up for day three of our Shield game,” Kuhnemann said.
“I got a phone call from George Bailey and he told me I’m being added to the squad.”
The 26-year-old admitted it was difficult to stay focused on the Shield match, which Victoria won by 164 runs.
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t on my mind,” Kuhnemann said.
Kuhnemann feeling ready
While yet to appear in a Test, Kuhnemann does have international experience playing for Australia in Asia.
He played four ODIs during last year’s tour of Sri Lanka — taking six wickets — before staying on with the Australia squad for the two-Test series that followed.
“I was fortunate to stay on that tour with the Test guys and just bowl in the nets for a few weeks and just watch how the Sri Lankan bowlers played and how Nathan Lyon bowled,” Kuhnemann said.
“Just being around that group gives me a lot of confidence heading over to India.”
The performance of player of the match Ravindra Jadeja in Nagpur did not go unnoticed by Kuhnemann.
The Indian spinning all-rounder claimed seven Australian dismissals, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
“He’s one of my favourites, if not my favourite to watch,” Kuhnemann said of the left-handed Jadeja.
“He bowled beautifully. That’s sort of how I’ve gone about my bowling … basing my game around him and Axar Patel.”
Kuhnemann has taken 35 wickets at an average of 34.80 in 13 first-class matches.
He was impressive in the recent BBL with 16 wickets at 26.50 across the tournament, as he helped the Brisbane Heat reach the final, where they lost to the Perth Scorchers.
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