Agar hasn’t played Test cricket since July 2013

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Australia have called up the spin duo Ashton Agar and Steve O’Keefe for the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sydney.

The pair will replace batsman Nic Maddinson and pace bowler Chadd Sayers, who have both been axed.

Maddinson played in the first two Tests against Pakistan, but failed to have an impact with the bat as he accumulated just 27 runs at a dismal average of nine, while Sayers did not feature in the two matches.

Agar has not played Test cricket since July 2013, but he will compete with uncapped Western Australia all-rounder Hilton Cartwright, who was called up for the second Test in Melbourne, for a position in the top six of Australia’s batting line-up.

O’Keefe, meanwhile, last featured in a Test match during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka in July, but was included in the side as Australia head coach Darren Lehmann confirmed that the Baggy Greens would field two spinners in the third Test.

Lehmann confirmed that Nathan Lyon will be one of the spinners chosen for the match in Sydney, especially as he took three crucial wickets on the final day of the second Test, which Australia won by an innings and 18 runs.

“I think we would, but once we see the weather and the wicket … then we’ll make our decisions from there,” Lehmann said. “(Lyon) bowled beautifully today and there’s no reason why he wouldn’t (play in Sydney).

“We wanted a left-armer to go away from all of their right-handers. (Agar has) made Shield hundreds and obviously batted really well on his Test debut. He’s certainly got the talent to be a batting all-rounder or a spinning all-rounder.”

Australia squad for third Test: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade