Australia enlist Ashes winners for Pakistan Test tour

Pat Cummins captains the full-strength squad for the three Tests in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore next month

Australia will be virtually full-strength for the three-Test against Pakistan as part of their first tour of the country for 24 years.

Pat Cummins will lead the group which is only without Jhye Richardson who has been omitted.

Ashton Agar, who travels as the third spinner alongside Nathan Lyon and Mitch Swepson, is the only addition to the squad that beat England 4-0.

Marcus Harris remains, as do Alex Carey, Michael Neser and Scott Boland who all made their Test debuts in the Ashes.

This is the first squad selected since the resignation of head coach Justin Langer. Andrew McDonald has been placed in interim charge.

"This squad covers for all scenarios including the conditions given it has been such a long time since Australia was last in Pakistan," selection chief George Bailey said.

^{Ashton Agar, who has played four Tests, returns (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)}

"With several subcontinent tours and a one-day World Cup in India on the near horizon this is a great first-up challenge for the group after the successful home Ashes series.

"It's also a very historic tour given the length of time since an Australian side last toured Pakistan."

Cricket Australia signed off on the seven-match tour of Pakistan last week following a thorough security assessment.

The series starts in Rawalpindi (March 4-8) before the second and third Tests at Karachi (March 12-16) and Lahore (March 21-25).

The squad for the white-ball matches - made up of three ODIs and a stand-alone T20I all in Rawalpindi - will be announced in due course.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

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