‘It’s a tough game, it’s a ruthless environment’, Ashton Agar on being sent back from India

With Western Australia on the verge of successfully defending their Marsh Cup title. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was back in his element. As the rowdy WACA faithfuls set up a five-wicket haul in the final against South Australia. He was unable to remove his brother Wes Agar, but stumped Spencer Johnson to seal an 181-run victory, triggering scenes of celebration from the WA players and the crowd of 2700.

Agar said after the Marsh Cup final as he reflected on his departure from India –

“I felt I wasn’t bowling as well as I needed to be, It’s a very clear direction for me now to just work on it and improve.I harbour no ill will or ill feeling at all. I’m very well supported in that (Australian) camp and they’ve kept in constant communication with me, so it’s all in a good place.”

It was a much-needed boost for Agar after being neglected on his return from the Test tour of Australia for selection. Arriving in India as Australia’s second spinner behind Nathan Lyon. Agar struggled in the nets. And was swiftly leapfrogged by uncapped offspinner Todd Murphy and left-armer Matthew Kuhnmann, who was parachuted into the touring squad.

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Agar added –

“I’ve been a professional cricketer for ten years now, so I’m far more resilient than when I started. It’s a tough game, it’s a ruthless environment, and that’s how it should be because it’s the pinnacle of the sport.”

Agar has taken only nine wickets at 52 in five Tests and went wicketless against South Africa in the SCG Test in January. Due to his international white-ball commitments, Agar has rarely played for WA in the Sheffield Shield in recent years and sports a modest first-class average of 42.