Young's Nathan Lyon is the only specialist spinner named in Australia's 17-man Ashes squad.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lyon, who hasn't missed a Test since the third match of the 2013 Ashes, looks set to play a key role throughout the five Test series.
The squad includes batsman Marnus Labuschagne who will provide support for Lyon as a leg-spinning option.
Selectors announced the squad last week ahead of Thursday's opening Test at Birmingham, England.
"We kept asking ourselves are we really going to play two spinners over here in England. I guess we came up with the answer, probably no," Trevor Hohns said.
We kept asking ourselves are we really going to play two spinners over here in England.
- Trevor Hohns
"We thought it'd be handy to have a batting-spinning all-rounder in the squad to compliment Nathan. If anything was to happen to Nathan in the short term we can content with it. If anything was to happen to him long term of we have the option of bringing someone else in."
Day one of the first Test begins in NSW at 8pm on Thursday night.
Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
READ ALSO: Flashback Friday photos from 1986
READ ALSO: Tommy Rockin wins Maiden Series Final
