Australia on full-strength for Sri Lanka tour
Australia will be at close to full strength for all three legs of their Sri Lankan campaign in June-July as 34 players were named for an all-format tour also featuring an ‘A’ team.
Marcus Harris was the biggest casualty in the 16-man Test squad that will play two matches in Galle to cap a seven-week long tour, but the opener has the chance along with a host of other fringe players to push their cases in the ‘A’ series.
Big guns Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade and Glenn Maxwell have all returned to the limited-overs squads having missed the recent white-ball games in Pakistan.
Test captain Pat Cummins will sit out the three-T20I series to begin the tour, while first-choice spinner Adam Zampa will miss the entire tour due to the impending birth of his first child.
Ben McDermott, who scored his maiden international century in a 50-over clash with Pakistan last month, has been squeezed out and will play county cricket for Hampshire in the UK instead, while Michael Neser, who is playing for Glamorgan, also missed selection for the tour.
Jhye Richardson’s inclusion for only the T20 leg of the series is a blow for the whippy quick who starred in his only Test of last summer before selectors took a cautious approach with him due to injury.
Richardson, along with other fringe players like Josh Inglis, Scott Boland and Sean Abbott, could still push their cases for inclusion in the Test series in the two four-day games for Australia A in Hambantota.
The tour will mark coach Andrew McDonald’s first campaign since being appointed Justin Langer’s permanent successor, having previously taken the reins as an interim in Pakistan.
In a sign of the potential interchangeability of these squads, Inglis has been named in all three of the main Australia groups and also in the A squad.
Travis Head (Test, ODI and A squads), Boland (Test and A) and Abbott (T20 and A) are all in similar boats.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have an Australia A component which offers the further flexibility and opportunity for players to be available for and cross over into all squads,” said selection chief George Bailey.
“That could be from a Test or white-ball preparation perspective or an opportunity to impress at an international level.
“This is the first time a tour of this scale has been possible since the Ashes in 2019.”
Pacemen Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis have all dropped out of the white-ball squads after playing in Pakistan, while Kane Richardson is back in the T20 squad after missing the Pakistan tour with a hamstring concern.
Murphy to lead young spin stars on Australia A tour
Aaron Hardie, Henry Hunt, Matthew Kuhnemann, Todd Murphy and Tanveer Sangha are the most notable additions to the A squad having all impressed at domestic level.
That reserve side, which will also play two one-dayers in Colombo, features more experienced heads like Matthew Renshaw, Nic Maddinson, Peter Handscomb, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee and Jhye Richardson.
| Australia Tour of Sri Lanka | |
Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade
Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
Australia A fixtures Squad: Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Pete Handscomb, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee
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