Cricket Australia announced their 17-men squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21. In this highly experienced side, selectors have picked two young players Will Pucovski and Cameron Green, who had a tremendous domestic-circuit form. Joe Burns has been retained by the squad despite having a poor form, and it is most likely that he will not be part of the playing XI.
Pucovski opened the batting for Victoria in the domestic season and scored two double hundred. Meanwhile, Green scored 197 against NSW, and he could be a good choice as the all-rounder in the absence of Mitch Marsh.
Along with these two young guns, they have also called Mitchell Swepson, Sean Abbott, and Michael Neser for the first time in the longer format of cricket. Both Burns and Pucovski will have a chance to prove themselves in the warm-up fixtures for Australia A, starting on December 06. Either Burns or Pucovski will open for Australia with David Warner.
“Cameron has already won selection in the white-ball 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. 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.” Chairman of selectors, Hohns said.
Legspinner Swepson has been picked as the backup spinner along with Lyon. The young spinner has bagged 23 scalps in Sheffield Shield this season. Tim Paine will captain the side who led Australia to retain the Ashes last year and took Australia to number one spot in ICC Test Rankings. Pat Cummins has been appointed as the vice-captain of the Test side. The first Test match will be played in Adelaide from December 17, and it will be a Day-Night fixture.
Australia squad (Test):
David Warner, Will Pucovski, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (C & WK), Pat Cummins (VC), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson, Sean Abbott
