Xavier Doherty will now replace Mitchell Marsh in the Australia squad. ( Source: AP)

Australia have added left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty to their one-day squad as cover for Mitchell Marsh, who will miss the three-match series against Pakistan with a hamstring injury, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Tuesday.

Spin played a big part in Sunday’s one-off Twenty20 in Dubai, which Australia won by six wickets, and the CA was quick to add 31-year-old Tasmanian Doherty, who will miss Tuesday’s opener but is available for the second match on Friday.

“The pitch on Sunday night during the T20 International turned significantly and there is a strong chance we will encounter these conditions during the rest of this series,” national selector Rod Marsh said in a CA statement.

“As such, we have elected to bring Xavier over to Dubai as an extra spinning option.”