Queensland finger spinner Matt Kuhnemann is set to make the jump from the Sheffield Shield to the Australian squad, with the 26-year-old booked to fly out to Delhi in hours time.
Recently involved in Queensland's Shield battle against Victoria at the MCG, Kuhnemann is set to make the mad dash from the 'G to Tullamarine in an effort to replace fellow Sunshine Stater Mitchell Swepson in the Australian camp ahead of the second Test.
Not selected for the series opener, a Test the tourists were obliterated in by an innings and 132 runs, Swepson ran the drinks in Nagpur. And with the leggie's partner set to give birth to their first child in the coming days, Swepson has opted out of national duties and will return home imminently.
As first reported byย The Courier Mail,ย Kuhnemann will be jetted out to the subcontinent shortly and remains a live chance to earn a Test debut in the Indian capital.
Despite lining up for the Australians during the New Year's Test in Sydney, as well as featuring as a substitute fielder in Nagpur, Ashton Agar looks likely to be leapfrogged in the tweaker's pecking order, with veteran scribe Robert Craddock reporting that Agar remained out of form in the nets during the early stages of the tour.
Mitchell Starc is also set to fly into India in the coming days, shaking off a broken finger sustained during the Boxing Day Test.
As stated by skipper Pat Cummins in the washup of the hefty first Test loss, Starc is looming likely to reclaim his spot as Australia's new-ball general.
Since debuting for Queensland in 2021, Kuhnemann has claimed 32 first-class wickets at an average of 34.25.
Kuhnemann finished the Shield clash in Melbourne with figures of 2/55 and 1/67 in the Bulls' 164-run loss.
The second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series is set to commence at 3:00pm (AEDT) on Friday, March 17 at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium.
