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Spinner Ashton Agar is set to be given plenty chances to shine during Australia's upcoming T20, ODI, and Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch has praised Ashton Agar's selfless attitude and says the spinner will get plenty chances to shine during the tour of Sri Lanka.
Agar was overlooked for all but one of Australia's matches during their charge to the T20 World Cup title last November.
Australia's decision to go with three front-line pacemen and have Adam Zampa as the main spinner meant there was no room for Agar.
But with Zampa absent for the tour of Sri Lanka due to paternity leave, Agar will be heavily relied upon for the three T20s and five ODIs.
Agar could also be needed for the two Tests if things fall his way.
"He's one of the best in the world in the T20 format for Australia," Finch said.
"And what he's shown with his disappointment of missing out during that World Cup; his ability to bounce back and take his opportunities every time he's had them shows the character of the person and shows what kind of a team man he is.
"He'll certainly get a lot of opportunities on this tour to play that front-line spinner role in both white-ball formats of the game."
T20 blaster Tim David hasn't been selected as part of the tour, but he remains in the mix for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
David's hot form in the IPL has set tongues wagging, and Finch predicts it will just be a matter of time before Australia start to field more T20 specialists.
"I think from here on, we're probably going to see more T20 specialists playing international cricket. It's just going to be the lay of the land," Finch said.
"The specialised skills in T20 cricket are going to be something that will be more and more looked upon, especially with the schedule being packed as it is.
"I think we'll be moving away from three-format players over the next five or 10 years, because the demand on the international calendar is just so big.
"He (David) is someone who is definitely on the radar. He's been in fantastic form."
Some members within the Australian cricket team have raised ethical concerns about touring Sri Lanka, which is in the midst of an economic crisis and political unrest.
The series-opening T20 will be played on June 7 in Colombo, where there have been rolling power cuts.
The match is listed to be played at night, and Finch said he would leave it with the powers to be to decide whether it will be more ethical to play the match during the day.
"That's something that the boards will work through," Finch said.
"That's well and truly out of our control."