Unluckiest cricketer in Australia? Agar set to miss Sheffield Shield final after not playing in India

Ashton Agar faces the prospect of another overseas tour without a game for Australia while his state teammates play in a Sheffield Shield final.

The left-arm spinner has endured a luckless run of missing Western Australia’s domestic triumphs due to international call-ups, only to be surplus to requirements in the national squad.

Agar played in the Marsh Cup final, starring with 5-64 as WA demolished South Australia to claim the title, but returned to India for the three match one-day series last week, where he has not been picked for the opening two games.

Seaming pitches have led to Australia picking an extra pace bowling all-rounder and playing Adam Zampa as the lone specialist spinner, meaning just like the first half of the Test tour, Agar has been left to carry the drinks.

It is understood neither Western Australia or Agar have pushed for him to leave India, where he remains a chance of playing in the final ODI in Chennai on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old has already missed out on a domestic title with the Perth Scorchers in the BBL this season, after he left the Scorchers campaign early to prepare for the Indian tour.

Poor net bowling rhythm in India reportedly led to 22-year-old Todd Murphy skipping past him in the queue, with Agar sent home halfway through the tour to regain form.

Australian assistant coach Daniel Vettori said during the Test series he felt for Agar and his difficult role in the Australia’s red-ball set up.

“The guys who are perennial tourists – second spinners, fourth seamers in a group – they’re valuable to a group, but they don’t actually get that game time,” Vettori said.

“It is a tricky thing. I think guys sometimes get a little bit left behind because they’re important to the squad but they can’t get a game, but you don’t want to send them home; it’s a really hard juggling act.”

Agar endured similar misfortune this time last year, when he missed the Marsh Cup final due to Australia’s Test tour of Pakistan – where he was not used – and then contracted Covid ahead of the one-day series, meaning he could not play in either the three ODIs or WA’s Sheffield Shield final success against Victoria.

Western Australia are instead likely to deploy off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli in his second consecutive Shield final, along with an overhaul of their pace attack with returning trio Lance Morris, Matt Kelly and Joel Paris.

Aaron Hardie only bowled five overs in the Warriors’ loss to Victoria last week in a bid to freshen him up for the final.