Australia have named hitting talent Will Pucovski and all-rounder Cameron Green among the top five no-limits players on an extended 17-man squad for the four-round series against India.
Victoria starters Pucovski and Green join closers Sean Abbott, Michael Neser and Queensland player Mitchell Swepson among potential test debutants against Virat Kohli’s team.
“What we saw in the first rounds of the … Sheffield Shield was a number of players who performed exceptionally well,” coach Trevor Hohns said in a press release Thursday.
“Two of those standout players were, of course, Cameron Green and Will Pucovski. Their undeniable form demanded selection and we are very happy to have these youngsters on the team for what will be a tremendous test series against an extremely formidable opponent. “
Pucovski, the 22-year-old shaggy-haired starter, has been red-hot with the bat, scoring 495 runs in two Sheffield Shield games. He rejoins the test team nearly two years after narrowly missing a debut against Sri Lanka. Along with Pucovski, Green has been designated as a future test participant and has racked up runs for Western Australia at the Shield.
However, he recently returned to bowling after a back injury, and his best chance to debut may be the third round at the Sydney Cricket Ground that provides another pacing option if Australia opts for two spinners at a rotating wicket.
New South Wales leader Abbott and Queensland veteran Neser are the backup rapids behind regulars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson. The no-limit five may have a hard time dislodging anyone from the Australian team that shut out Pakistan and New Zealand last summer, though starter Joe Burns may be feeling the heat from Pucovski after a streak of low scores for Queensland.
India beat Paine’s team 2-1 in 2018/19, becoming the first Asian team to triumph in a series of tests on Australian soil.
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