Swepson hopeful of Bangladesh Test call-up

Mitchell Swepson says he's ready to step up if called upon during Australia's upcoming Test tour of Bangladesh.

Bowler Mitchell Swepson

Mitchell Swepson says he's ready to step up if called upon during Australia's tour of Bangladesh. (AAP)

Uncapped legspinner Mitchell Swepson admits he's probably at the back of the selection queue for Australia's Test tour of Bangladesh.

But the young Queenslander, whose aggressive style has earned him the vocal endorsement of spin great Shane Warne, is doing everything possible to press his case for a subcontinent call-up.

"I'm hopeful as always," Swepson said at the national team's pre-tour training camp in Darwin on Saturday.

"I was added late, so you'd probably think that the other two blokes are ahead of me at the moment.

"But anything can happen.

"I've just got to prepare to play and if it doesn't happen, then so be it.

"I'll just take the experience as it comes and I'm looking forward to it."

The 23-year-old Swepson was added last week to Australia's 14-man squad for the two-Test series, just days after the long-running pay dispute between players and administrators was resolved.

He joins first-choice tweaker Nathan Lyon and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who will compete with Swepson for the opportunity to replace dumped veteran Steve O'Keefe.

Agar's superior economy and proven ability with the bat will likely hold him in good stead when selectors decide who should partner Lyon.

But Swepson's ability to produce genuine turn has earned plenty of fans, most notably Warne who urged selectors to fast-track his debut during the summer home series against Pakistan.

Both Swepson and Agar missed the opportunity to press their case for selection last month when the Australia A tour of South Africa was boycotted as a result of the pay dispute.

The duo were part of the squad for Australia's tour of India in March, and Swepson said he had learned plenty despite not being selected to play.

"I picked up a few things in India just being around the squad, and being able to be at Test matches and watch how the blokes go about it," he said.

"The last six months have been big for me and I've worked hard on my bowling.

"Coming back this pre-season, I was really happy with where my bowling was at and I think that was on the back of being on that Indian tour."

The Australians are scheduled to depart for Dhaka on August 18, with the first Test to commence on August 27.


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Source: AAP



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