Australia could consider playing five specialist bowlers plus an allrounder in Sri Lanka as a way of sneaking three spinners into the side for back-to-back Tests in Galle.
“It’s always there,” McDonald said. “You pick three spinners in your squad for that exact reason. We challenged ourselves on it in Pakistan but the information we had leading into the games there was probably two spinners at best.
“Galle creates another conversation. It’s how you fit them in. Mitchell Starc has an unbelievable record in the subcontinent and Sri Lanka in particular. I think the last tour there he was the leading wicket-taker. So you’re going to be a brave man to leave out either the captain [Pat Cummins] or Mitch Starc to pick a third spinner. So it’s really how it fits.
“Can Ashton Agar potentially bat one spot higher to create a bit of space? I think what we’ve done is we’ve given ourselves the options through what we’ve picked and that’s the important part.
“We feel as though we’ve got the balance to play multiple ways depending on the conditions. Two Test matches in the one venue back-to-back is an uncommon thing as well. There’s a few variables on the ground. But we’ll hope to make some good decisions when we get there.”
Australia’s ability to bat long and bat big, particularly in the first innings, was pivotal to their victory in Pakistan. Although batting conditions may be more difficult in Sri Lanka, the same blueprint will be used to pave the way for success there as it was in the victorious tours of 2004 and 2011 when Australia had to bat their way out of trouble on several occasions. The inability to counter spin in 2016 led to a 3-0 defeat.
“He’s got a great record in the subcontinent, India in particular with that hundred at Ranchi,” McDonald said. “He can give us offspin. Yeah, there was a small discussion around what it would potentially look like but I think the reward for the team that went to Pakistan as well, that squad, the way it went about it’s work, it was always going to be very difficult to change that way of playing.”