Australia, in their bid to trump India in this most brilliant of Test series, have called up a player who, against New Zealand in January, played an astonishing knock that had everyone wondering if he might not be somehow related to Superman.
No sanctions for Smith or Kohli
Super powers are what Australia need to get back to winning ways in this Test series against India, after the home side roared back to level it all up in Bengaluru.
If the Pune Test match was exciting, it could not hold a candle to the excitement of the second Test at the Chinnaswamy. The Bengaluru Test had everything – brilliant bowling, outstanding batting, fantastic fielding, controversy, mostly through DRS, sledging, you name it.
So, to come into a Test series that has already had everything is something Stoinis is looking forward to.
"It's an exciting opportunity," Stoinis told Cricket Australia's website. "Every young cricketer dreams of making a Test debut but in a series like this, in India where it's 1-1, and you've got really good chance to step up and show your stuff. "
Just by looking at the mould of player, Stoinis isn't that different to the man who he will be replacing – Mitchell Marsh, who was ruled out of the last two Tests through injury.
Stoinis is someone who can contribute with the ball when required and a batsman who can bash the ball to all parts of the ground, as the Kiwis found out in Auckland.
Marsh's major problem has been showing that he can be really good at one skill – be that batting or bowling – and then back that up by contributing with the other.
The younger Marsh brother hasn't been able to do that consistently. He averages just 21.74 in 21 Test matches with the bat, while his bowling average stands at 37.48, with 29 wickets to his name.
Marsh hardly bowled in the two Tests that he played against India – that might have been because of that shoulder problem, although then it begs the question, why he was even picked in the first place – and his batting wasn't too great either, with the Western Australian managing scores of 4, 31, 0 and 13.
It is not as if Stoinis is the fast bowling all-rounder Australia have been wanting in their Test side. His first-class figures don't make pretty reading either and his recent form in the Sheffield Shield – Australia's domestic first-class tournament – reads 172 runs at an average of 15.63 from seven matches, with eight wickets with the ball.
That 146 from 117 balls against New Zealand, though, is what clearly made the selectors take a punt and Stoinis believes he can make an impact in Test match cricket.
"I feel fine, there's no such thing as form really," Stoinis added. "I went in and made a hundred for Australia recently and hadn't made many runs before that.
"Hopefully I can impact the game and help the team win."
Pick up a five-for and/or score a hundred in Ranchi, and Stoinis, who will battle it out for a place in the playing XI with Usman Khawaja and Glenn Maxwell, will help Australia retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
