India vs Australia | Handscomb Expecting Anchor Role After 'Surprise' ODI Call-up

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: January 6, 2019, 9:16 AM IST

Peter Handscomb is expecting to play the anchor role after earning a surprise One-Day International call-up for the three-match series against India.

Apart from Handscomb, senior players like Peter Siddle, Usman Khawaja and Nathan Lyon too have been added to the 14-man squad for the series that will get underway from January 12 in Sydney.

"It was a really, really good phone call and I'm excited to get out there and hopefully help the boys," Handscomb said in a cricket.com.au Facebook Live chat.

"A little bit of a surprise but it was nice to know."

The 27-year-old has copped a lot of criticism for his technique and output in Test cricket, but his performance in white-ball cricket this summer has been pretty good. Apart from smashing a blistering 70 from 35 balls for the Melbourne Stars in BBL last month, the Victorian also plundered 361 runs at 51.57 in eight matches as captain of the JLT One-Day Cup champions at the start of the 2018-19 season.

"That's sort of the role I played for Victoria; coming in the middle order, control it, try and tick it over at a run a ball and just get the other batter on strike," Handscomb said when asked about his one-day game plan.

"Then hopefully leave a few wickets in the shed for some fireworks at the back end.

"I've been pushing my case in one-day domestic stuff and the T20 the other night out here.

"It was good to get out here and show my white-ball stuff is OK as well."

Handscomb, who made his ODI debut in January 2017, has only played eight games, scoring 149 runs at an average of 21.28.