Australia Announce Test Squad For India Series

Australia, on Thursday, announced their Test squad for the upcoming four-match Border-Gavaskar Series against India at home. The hosts have named a strong 17-man squad and have also included highly-rated youngsters Will Pucovski and Cameron Green.

The other uncapped players in the squad are Sean Abbott, Mitchell Swepson and Michael Neser. Green and Abbott have earned their maiden Test call-up on the back of a stunning display in the ongoing Sheffield Shield. The other uncapped players have also been rewarded for performing well in the domestic circuit.

“What we saw in the opening rounds of the Marsh Sheffield Shield were a number of players performing exceptionally well,” Australia’s National selector Trevor Hohns said.

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“Two of those many standout players were of course Cameron Green and Will Pucovski. Their undeniable form demanded selection and we are very pleased to have these young men in the squad for what will be a tremendous Test Series against an extremely formidable opponent,” he added.

22-year old Pucovski has made 495 runs at an average of 247.5 in the opening rounds of the Sheffield Shield competition this year and will be up against Joe Burns for the opener’s slot. Burns has so far registered scores of 7, 29, 0, 10, 11 in the Shield games.

Both Burns and Pucovski have been named in the Australia A squad for the two practice matches against India, which could determine David Warner’s opening partner.

“Will’s record breaking start to the summer has been exceptional. His ability to show such patience is something which stands him in good stead for Test cricket and he is in rare company with two double centuries to start the summer. We very much look forward to Will developing further on the international stage,” Hohns said.

Green, on the other hand, has been absolutely sensational with the bat in the ongoing Australian summer and scored a career-best 197 against New South Wales. Last month, he was named in the white-ball squad against India.

“Cameron (Green) has already won selection in the white ball squad and continues that in joining the Test squad. He is a wonderful young talent who has great potential to become an all-rounder of substance over time. His batting alone has demanded his place in the squad,” Hohns said.

Australia have also named a 19-player A squad that features as many as nine Test players from the main squad including captain Tim Paine. The four-match Test series starts on December 17 with the day-night Test in Adelaide.

Australia Test squad:

Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Tim Paine (c), James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia A squad:

Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, Jackson Bird, Alex Carey (wk), Harry Conway, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh (subject to fitness), Michael Neser, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Mitchell Swepson

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