Young guns Green, Abbott, Pucovski for India Tests

Melbourne, November 12

Prodigiously talented youngsters Will Pucovski and Cameroon Green were among five uncapped players included in a 17-member Australian Test squad for the four-match series against India, which starts on December 17.

The other uncapped Test players in the Tim Paine-led side are leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, all-rounder Michael Neser and fast bowler Sean Abbott — whose bouncer had accidentally hit Phil Hughes during a Sheffield Shield game in 2014, leading to his tragic death. All the players who are yet to wear the Baggy Green have been called on the back of extraordinary performances in the domestic circuit in recent times, Cricket Australia said.

Cricket Australia’s national selector Trevor Hohns said the Shield performances augur well for Australia’s future.

“Two of those many standout players were of course Cameron Green and Will Pucovski,” Hohns said in a statement. Each of these players, though, has represented Australia in other formats. “Cameron 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 allrounder of substance over time. His batting alone has demanded his place in the squad,” Hohns said.

Revenge series

Seeking to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they lost for the first time in 2018-19, Australia will also have the seasoned stars who dominated their most recent Test series, against Pakistan and New Zealand at home. That took Australia to the top of the world rankings before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

The limited-overs leg, which will comprise three ODIs and as many T20Is, will be held prior to the Test series, starting November 27.

The world’s No. 1 pace bowler Pat Cummins was named Paine’s deputy in the Test team. The selectors also named a 19-member Australia A squad, which includes nine members from the Test team, for tour matches against India. — PTI

Indian squad reaches Sydney

Sydney: A 25-player Indian squad, led by skipper Virat Kohli, reached here today for a two-month Australia tour that starts with a 14-day quarantine-cum-training period on the outskirts of the city. The Indian contingent along with Australian stars David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins arrived late in the afternoon. PTI

Australian squad

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

Australia A: 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