Melbourne, Nov 12: The prodigiously talented pair of Will Pucovski and Cameroon Green were among five uncapped players picked Thursday in a 17-member Australian Test squad for the big-ticket four-match series against India, starting December 17.
The other uncapped Test players in the Tim Paine-led side are fast bowler Sean Abbott — whose bouncer had accidentally hit Phil Hughes during a Sheffield Shield game in 2014, leading to his tragic death — leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and all-rounder Michael Neser.
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 the country’s cricketing 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. Up against a strong Indian line-up and seeking to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they lost for the first time in 2018-19, the fresh faces in the Australian Test squad will join the seasoned stars who dominated their most recent Test series’ — against Pakistan and New Zealand at home.
The performance took the team 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.
World’s number one pacer 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)
