Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has been recalled to the Australia squad for next month's home Test series with Sri Lanka, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said on Thursday.
MacGill was originally left out of the squad when Australia's selectors opted for Shane Warne as the sole spin bowler but he got a reprieve when paceman Brad Williams pulled out through injury.
"Although Stuart was not initially picked in the squad because we felt the conditions did not warrant a second spinner, we felt he was the best bowler available to us at this point in time," Hohns said in a statement.
MacGill's international career appeared to have stalled when he refused to tour Zimbabwe in April on moral grounds but the selectors said his stand would not count against him and the Test series was later cancelled.
Hohns said the selectors decided to replace Williams with a spinner because the team already had enough fast bowlers and there were concerns about Warne's fitness after he broke a bone in his hand playing first-class cricket in England.
"(MacGill's) selection might challenge our original thinking when it comes to deciding the final make-up of the team," Hohns added.
MacGill, who has also been playing in England, was holidaying in Venice when Hohns contacted him and will return to Australia immediately.
Australia host Sri Lanka in the first Test in Darwin starting on July 1 with the second Test in Cairns starting eight days later.
