Hohns announces India touring squad

Australia have announced a 16-man Test squad for their Qantas Tour of India, with uncapped leg-spinner Mitch Swepson earning a maiden international call-up.

The 23-year-old Queenslander has been named alongside Ashton Agar and Glenn Maxwell to give Australia five different spin options, with incumbent tweakers Nathan Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe also selected.

Squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Stephen O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade

Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has also earnt a recall, meaning there was no room in the squad for incumbent No.6 Hilton Cartwright, who made his Test debut at the SCG earlier this month.

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Batsman Shaun Marsh returns to the national set-up after breaking a finger during the first Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa in November and opting to undergo surgery. He's since made returned via the KFC Big Bash League with the Perth Scorchers.

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Matthew Wade has been named as the sole specialist wicketkeeper in the squad, with no recall for the man he replaced Peter Nevill in the wake of Australia's innings defeat to South Africa in Hobart in November.

Australia's Qantas Tour of India fixture

Tall seamer Jackson Bird, who was replaced by O'Keefe for Australia's most recent Test at the SCG against Pakistan, has been named as just one of three frontline quicks alongside pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Interim Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns said the panel had considered picking South Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa but settled on Swepson, suggesting he's more of a wicket taking threat.

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"We thought a leg-spinner would be handy to have over there, whether they play or not is in the lap of the gods at the moment," Hohns said on Sunday.

"We thought we would go for a more attacking leg-spinner more so than a defensive spinner. That's no disrespect to Adam. Adam is going well as well.

"Mitchell Swepson has come through the pathway system. He is an exciting young leg-spinner, gives the ball a very good rip, he's a wicket-taking leg-spinner.

"At the end of the day you've got to take wickets to win Test matches. Given the opportunity we feel he could play a part over there and if he doesn't he'll gain a lot from the experience from being there."

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Hohns said flexibility would be vital for Australia if they are to topple the number one ranked Test side on their home soil.

"We don't know what pitch conditions we will come up against in each of the venues but wanted to have flexibility and options available to us," Hohns said.

"We know India is an incredibly tough place to tour and have success in, with most International teams struggling to adapt to the conditions, but we have chosen a squad which we believe will work really hard in its endeavours to perform well and give a good account of itself in the subcontinent.

"We expect all of the young players chosen to benefit immensely from the experience."

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Hohns said the panel went with Swepson and left-arm orthodox spinner Agar to give the selectors numerous spin options and while suggesting Shaun Marsh's century in Australia's most recent Test on the subcontinent counted in his favour.

"(Agar) is a good left-arm orthodox spinner who can be very exciting with the bat and also fields extremely well. He provides us with a great all-round package."

"Shaun (Marsh) is proven in subcontinent conditions and is coming off a hundred in his last Test match in Sri Lanka. He is a very versatile batsman who can slot in at the top or the middle of the order."

Australia last won a Test series in India in 2004, breaking a 35-year drought in the subcontinent, and will travel to India expecting a stern test against the International Cricket Council's No.1 ranked side.

The two sides will play four Tests, with the first to kick off in Pune on February 23.